Thick as Thieves
by MarsWithMick
Summary: Sixty years have passed since Sarah last took her first steps into the labyrinth - and in sixty years, she has been given a loving family, which is long since survived by her only granddaughter, Victoria. But, after a move across the city she lives in, Victoria soon discovers the secret Sarah had hoped to never remember again - the secret of the labyrinth.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Sixty years - it had been sixty years since the night Sarah had defeated the one known as the Goblin King, saved her baby brother, and went home with new life lessons and a pride that couldn't be stolen away. Sixty years, so many dark shrouded years, that Jared found himself parting at the seams.

It hadn't been that he had fallen in love with her - no, of course not. It was the fact that he, a great king, ruler of the land of the underground . . . had been defeated by a fifteen year-old girl. His pride hurt, Jareth had found himself spending years alone with his heart in a hole, his "tail" tucked between his legs.

Of course, during the sixty years in aboveground time after the defeat, Jareth had seen Sarah five times since then. Each time, he could remember clearly.

The first had been right after she returned home, and celebrated her victory with her newfound friends - Jareth noted each and every one of the creatures in the room, making a small note to punish them for their actions later on. The second had been years later, when his heart was deep in the pit of his stomach and he felt the need to see the one person to ever defeat his labyrinth. And during that time - when Sarah was an adult - Jareth had watched her from the window as she sat with a man not much older, with dark hair and light eyes, a smile on his face.

And that was the day Jareth went back to the Goblin City, enraged as he set about wreaking havoc wherever he went. The small houses in which the goblins lived were crumbled, sending each one either to live in the ruins or to find sanctuary in the labyrinth itself.

The third time, Jareth had seen Sarah's first-born child for the first time - a little boy, with her eyes and her nose. He was a lovely little boy, Jareth had to admit, but didn't like that she had long since forgotten about him. It was as if she'd never, _ever_ seen the labyrinth, or remembered defeating it.

Then, the fourth time, he had seen her aged beautifully, with two other little girls - her eldest was now a teenager, the same age she had been when she first met the King. And lastly, the fifth time was the latest - he had been spying on her once more after noticing the labyrinth dilapidated and uncared for anymore. All he had seen was her, surrounded by the future generations she had helped create, and they had all been smiling.

He simply left, and that was it.

With the castle in ruins, the city, the labyrinth . . . things were dark, and gloomful. There was no hope in sight for anyone, and there was a loss of the sense of magic there had once been so long ago. Although it was still there, it was sparsely seen, and sparely known all the same.

In just sixty years - over 6,000 in underground time - the labyrinth had become less great than it had been. That's how everyone who had lived in the labyrinth saw it.

But, that was also before _she_ went searching for answers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

"I didn't mean to be late. I just guess I'm always late," the young 22 year-old woman said as she stepped into the large building, greeting her boss who was currently waiting on one of the chairs in the grand opening. Balanced on one arm was a computer case, the strap in the crook of her slender elbow as if she had left from her home in a hurry and simply didn't have the time to lift it the few inches up her arm.

On the other was a cardboard tray with two coffees inside, a small bag with a muffin inside of the wrinkled package. The smell of blueberries came from the bag, entrancing anyone within a few feet of the woman.

"Five minutes - not that big of a deal," her boss responded. "Better to get here than never, I assume."

The woman smiled - a bright, brilliant smile with straight pearly-white teeth. Her lips were tender and pink, surrounding the flashy teeth and bringing attention to the barely-noticeable dimples in her rosy cheeks. Her boss took the cardboard tray from one of her hands as they walked into the building, reaching the elevators.

"No class today?" her boss asked, watching as she pulled the Kashmir scarf away from her neck. She sighed lightly, leaning against the wall of the elevator as they travelled up.

"Too much snow last night," the woman responded. "Trust me, Nick, it was a pain in the ass just to get here."

Nick's mouth curved up into a smile and he let out a deep chuckle, looking over the woman standing next to him. A few snowflakes were still melting from her dark brown hair, reaching the tips of them and dropping onto her shoulders to make her jacket more wet than before. On her eyelashes were snowflakes, also, but melting more slowly. Her eyes - which were deep green, nearly blue - looked weary and tired, as if she hadn't received much sleep the night before.

"Did you pick up the new screens for the studio?" Nick asked, taking a sip of one of the coffees. "Heavy cream with regular coffee - you know me too well, Vicky."

"You _know_ I hate my name," she said with a small scoff as the elevator doors opened. "Victoria Williams. It just sounds too cliche to me, too . . ."

"Too . . .?"

" _Blah_. That's why I like my nickname better - Bowie." She stepped out of the elevator and walked into Nick's photography studio, setting her laptop case onto her desk across the room. "Who's coming in today?"

"Two models in an hour, a family, and a newly engaged couple," Nick responded as he went over to the new boxes Bowie had gotten the day before. "You're golden, girl. Usually kids your age don't pay much attention."

"I guess I'm just the type to take things in and process them well," Bowie said with a shrug of her shoulders before taking the other coffee she had brought in. Nick glanced over at her, his brown eyes looking over her face.

"You look tired."

"Oh?" She met his gaze for a few seconds, and he sent her a knowing look as she sighed. "My grandma."

"Do tell," Nick said, walking over to one of the tables near the large window, looking out at the cityscape ahead of them. "C'mon, we've got an hour to kill. Vent to me."

Bowie slowly walked over before sitting at the table across from Nick, running a quick hand across her face.

"It's just . . . well, I know I told you last month how my grandpa died."

"Yes."

"She's been lonely since, and she already told me she didn't want to live with me - I asked her why and she said she didn't want to be trouble, and I guess that's alright. So I have to go over to see her tonight and help her start packing to go live with one of her friends. I don't really mind it, because she'll be much more closer than she was."

"Then what's leaving you sleepless?" Nick asked, not breaking eye contact as he took another sip of his coffee.

"College," she said, letting out a small groan as she rested her head on the palm of her hand, "I mean, I'm getting good grades, but I'm up until 2 in the morning every night doing homework after I get home."

"So that's why you called me last night and told me you could work in the morning - no classes."

"Yes. Because usually, as you know, my classes range from 9 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, depending on the classes I have that day." She paused for a moment. "It's really the geography course that's gotten me stressed - I have to do a research project for my finals next week."

"I remember those days," Nick said with a sigh as he leaned back. "My sister is in the same situation as you, trust me. Aren't you a minor in geography?"

Bowie slowly nodded, her eyes blinking slowly as she straightened out her polka-dot blouse.

"Yeah. And a major in art - you know that, though, how I want to do something with art."

"I still think you should be a tattoo artist. Like Kat Von D."

"Ink isn't my thing. You should see me working with pen and ink, it's . . . well, let's just say it's not very good." She took a sip of her coffee, looking down at the street below where just a few daring souls had gone out in the cold, scarves wrapped around their faces. "Plus, I've been thinking about taking a trip to Europe."

"Did you decide between France and England?"

"I'm thinking England. That's where David Bowie was from, plus it'd be nice to see the country."

"I've been there once, and it's a whole different world." Nick sighed and stretched his neck, making it crack lightly. "Anyways . . . don't get too stressed about finals, and I think you should hold off on Europe until, you know, you're done with them. Just get through all of this and it'll be clear sailing."

Bowie nodded, but she still looked as if something was bothering her.

"Nick?" she asked lightly, turning her light eyes to look at him sadly, "Do you ever feel like everyone else? Just a simple blend of grays, and of whites and blacks?"

"What do you mean?" Nick asked with furrowed eyebrows, and her lips tilted.

"I feel like so many other people, like . . . like I'm not leaving any sort of mark on the world. Almost like there's no motion in my life that I can feel - boring, you know?"

"Well . . . I can say for one thing, you are most certainly _not_ boring. And secondly, it's just a 'blah' patch right now. I'm sure something'll come along soon. Maybe someone, huh?" He sent her a small smile and she rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair with a small laugh.

"As if."

If only she had known what the future had in store for her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

Bowie walked from the building where Nick's photography studio was, tying her black trench coat around her waist as the snow that hadn't been removed from the city's sidewalks crunched under her flat shoes. She sighed, tucking her hands in her pockets as she made her way towards the parking garage, which was covered by a roof and dimly lit by orange lights.

She listened to the sounds of the city as she walked - the various voices she could hear talking as she passed them, cars honking, sirens blaring, music from the shops that was so loud it was a wonder the windows hadn't shattered . . .

Bowie pulled out her car keys as she arrived at the side of the blue metal, unlocking it before sitting in the driver's seat. WIth a sigh, she turned the car on and simply sat for a few seconds, recalling the previous thoughts she'd encountered while in the studio.

She couldn't help the way she felt about her life - the boring, slow stream of day-to-day life, of the normality that she encountered. It made her sigh as she leaned her head against the steering wheel, wondering if she could simply go home and curl up under her bed sheets. However, she knew that wasn't an option - her grandmother was expecting her, and she knew she couldn't just disappoint her.

She backed out of the parking space she was in before driving out onto the street, headed in the direction of her grandmother's little house outside of the city - the house where Bowie's father was raised, and where she had last seen him before he left to serve overseas. The thought made tears prick Bowie's eyes, and she shook them off as she reached the quaint neighborhood.

The little house wasn't hard to spot - it was the only one that hadn't changed over the years, with its green chipping paint and brown shingles on the roof, the white porch that would have been the envy of anyone some years ago.

Bowie smiled when she spotted her grandmother sitting near the window, reading a book with the TV shut off and a small, antique lamp on. She shut off her car before walking onto the porch, then stepping into the house.

"Grandma, I'm here!" Bowie announced loudly, kicking off her shoes as she recalled the rule her grandma had always had about wet shoes.

"Victoria," came the reply, and then there was a slow shuffle across the living room floor before the elderly woman walked into the foyer of the house. Bowie pulled her into a hug with a smile, a small laugh leaving her lips as her problems seemed to melt away. "How've you been, sweetie?"

"Stressed with finals, but I've gotten most of the work done," Bowie replied, pulling back to look over her grandmother's face.

She wore a smile, a smile that signalled that she had once been one of the most beautiful women in the whole state - her eyes as well told this story, with their deep green depth that Victoria held somewhere within hers. Despite the wrinkles and the fragile look her grandmother held, Victoria could see that she was still a beautiful woman, inside and out.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I'll send home dinner with you."

"You don't exactly have-"

"Victoria, sweetie, we go through this every time." She shuffled past Bowie, into the kitchen where some of the pots and pans were spread on the counter, as well as a covered tray. Bowie's grandmother brought the tray to her, making sure to place it in her arms and say, "You need to eat in order to function properly."

"Do Pringles count?"

Her grandmother scowled and Bowie laughed lightly, watching as she rolled her eyes and made her way back towards the living room. Despite the vintage look of the living room, there were a few new aspects - the books along the walls and the boxes on the floor, stacked carefully.

"Here's the boxes."

"Okay, grandma. How about you pack your books and I'll get some of the things from the bathroom, okay?" Bowie asked. "Just don't work yourself too hard. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I may be old, but that doesn't mean I can't work," she replied stubbornly, hands on her hips. "I'll be just fine."

"Okay, okay." Bowie grabbed some of the boxes from the floor before stepping from the living room and taking a few steps down the hallway. She glanced around at the familiar walls as she did so, sighing as she relived the history she had in the house, the adventures and the stories her grandmother had told her, the days she spent sitting on her grandpa's lap as he showed her pictures.

Bowie paused in the middle of the hall, the boxes still tucked under her arms as she glanced up at the ceiling, where the ball on a string leading up to the attic hung in the air. Bowie remembered seeing it ever since she was younger, the curiosity of going up always eating at her, especially when her grandmother told her not to go up there.

She bit her lip, and then called, "Grandma?"

"Yes?" came the soft reply from the living room, and Bowie gripped the ball, ready to yank it down.

"I'm going to check the attic, and make sure there's nothing up there you'll want." There was no reply, and Bowie pulled down on the string carefully. The stairs leading into the attic fell down with a layer of dust, causing a cough to erupt from her mouth. She batted at the air around her with another cough before looking up into the dark, drafty area that was the attic.

"If you need me, I'll be in the attic," Bowie called out, before placing one foot onto the step. It creaked and she paused, waiting to see if the board would give out. When it didn't, she placed another foot onto the board, and continued in a slow sequence until she had reached the main level of the attic. Bowie glanced around at the boxes stacked, piles of dust layering the tops of them that were exposed.

Despite the attic being filled with the natural life from the window on one wall, Bowie still couldn't see well and vouched instead to find some sort of light source. She stumbled around slowly, her feet shuffling as to not trip and fall. Only twice did she nearly fall, only to catch herself before falling over a stack of boxes.

Finally, in the middle of the attic, she found a light bulb attached to the roof and a string next to it. She pulled it down carefully, and the attic filled with the artificial life and revealed the titles written in marker on the sides of each box.

Most of them were normal - _'Living Room', 'Glenn's Room'_ , things such as that. She opened the box that was to Glenn's room - her father - and peeked inside to see all of his old games and cassettes. She smiled and let out a sad laugh, a hand pressed against the side of the box before lifting it to carry from the attic.

"Is it okay if I take this box?" Bowie asked, stepping into the living room to see her grandmother still packing just one box. She stopped and looked up, and a gentle smile came over her face.

"Is that your father's box?" Bowie nodded, setting it on the ground as tears pricked her eyes.

"It is. I just . . . I miss him so much, grandma. I wish he was here instead of over in . . ." She couldn't finish, and instead sighed as she stood back up. "I'm still waiting for his letter to come in the mail. Hopefully it comes soon, because I haven't heard from him in a long time."

"I'm sure he's just fine - he's a strong man," her grandmother assured, and Bowie simply nodded before going back into the attic to check if any of the other boxes could be of use to her or to her grandmother. Most of them were filled with random, antique items that Bowie left for the next owners to explore, but one of the boxes struck her with curiosity as she read the title on the side.

 _'Labyrinth'_. It was a simple word, a word Bowie had heard people say on a few different occasions. But yet, this time, the word struck her as strange because there was no other box with such a word on it. She couldn't keep her curiosity down much longer as she pulled the box out from several others, clearing it from dust as she carried it down the stairs.

"Do you know what this is?" Bowie asked, eyebrows furrowed as she set it on the floor. Again, her grandmother turned but this time there was no smile. It was a blank stare, and she didn't move all that much. Bowie was frightened something was wrong with her health, but within a few seconds she had moved once again.

"I thought it was all gone," she said, shaking her head as she shakily opened the box. "But it's all here."

"What?" Her grandmother looked up with a glance of adventure in her eyes, and a smile on her face.

"Have I told you the story of the labyrinth?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

"The story of _what_?" Bowie asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow as she watched Sarah stare at the box in wonder.

"The labyrinth." She sat down on the couch, pat the seat next to her, and Bowie sat down. Her grandmother took one of her hands gently and held it, all while looking at the box. "Years ago, when I was just a teenage girl, and still stuck in my own fantasy world, I summoned the Goblin King."

"The Goblin _what?_ " Bowie began to wonder if her grandmother really _had_ lost her mind. As she did, however, was 'tsk' and shake her finger at her young granddaughter.

"I know that look - that look of disbelief. But I tell you, I do, that it's more than true that I wished my baby brother away and the goblins came and took him."

"You mean . . . Toby?" Bowie asked, and kept the skeptical look in her eyes as she continued to listen to her grandmother's tale.

"Yes. It was, of course, before I began to like him. But what happened is that one night, while I was watching him, I wished him away and he was taken by the Goblin King. He was a strange man. Cruel - he threw a snake at me."

" _What?_ "

"He did. And I begged him for my brother back, and he told me as long as I made it through his labyrinth, I could get him back."

"Okay, grandma. I think it's time for bed." Bowie let out a small laugh, but her grandmother kept the same serious gaze on her. She stopped immediately and her eyes narrowed. "Okay, so why am I just now hearing this story?"

"I kept it hidden, because I didn't want to think about it. Then you brought down the box and I remembered everything. The labyrinth, the friends I made, how I defeated the King himself . . ."

"Curious," Bowie mumbled, leaning her chin on her balled hands.

"It is. And sweetie, you know that I have never lied to you. I'm not lying now." Bowie went silent, thinking and trying to recall at least one instance when she had lied. She couldn't think of any.

"Alright." Bowie checked the time on her phone, and then tucked it into her pocket. "It's getting late. I should probably head home - will you be alright?"

"Of course." Bowie nodded and stood up, but jumped as her grandmother grabbed her wrist with one hand. "Oh, and Victoria?"

"Yes?" Her grandmother opened the flaps of the box, and pulled out a red book bound in leather with old, faded golden lettering reading 'The Labyrinth' on the cover.

"I want you to have this," she said, placing the book in her hands. Bowie felt the cover carefully, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something more. She never uttered a work, and instead tucked the book into her purse in the hallway.

"Thank you," Bowie said, picking up her purse and the metal tray of food. "I'll see you soon."

"Goodbye, sweetie. I love you."

"I love you, too." Bowie sent her grandmother one more smile before leaving the house, entering the cold winter air and dreading the drive over the slick ice on the road once again. She set her purse in the passenger's seat of the car, then turned it on before driving back to her home. While driving, she thought of her mother.

She hadn't seen her mother in years - no matter how much Bowie missed her, she tried not to think of her too much. Besides, Bowie knew, it was her choice to leave her to be raised by her father as a child, and then later by her grandmother and grandfather as a teenager. But on this night, she couldn't help but think of the woman who gave her life.

Bowie had pressed her father for answers about her mother, and he tended to be rather pressed about it - he didn't like to talk about her, as if it was too difficult. But one day, he told her a few different things about her.

She had been a recovering alcoholic when they met - they met at the local grocery store when both were buying fruit, and instantly clicked. After Bowie had been born, though, her mother began drinking again - and this time, it was worse than the last time. One day, after she had gotten particularly drunk, she had tried to give Bowie a bath when she was a baby and nearly drowned her before her father found them. After that, she left. Bowie's parents split, and it was simply left at that.

Bowie always thought that it had been her to cause their split, that she was the cause for her mother's problems - she had never told her father so, but it was how she felt and always had since she knew the truth. Recalling the sleepless nights she had laid in bed wondering what would have happened to her mother if she had not been born was enough to make a tear fall down Bowie's cheek.

Tears eventually began to flow freely down her cheeks, blurring her vision enough to make her stop and pull over. Her knuckles turned white from the grip she held on the steering wheel, the sobs making her chest heave up and down quickly before she rested her head against her knuckles.

"It's all my fault . . ." she whispered quietly, and then glanced up to dig around in her purse. Her hands searched the soft interior, bumping into things before grasping a cylindrical bottle and lifting it out - Bowie's anxiety medication.

She shakily opened the bottle, grabbing one of fairly large blue pills and swallowing it dry. She took a deep, calming breath before leaning back against her seat with tears still falling down her cheeks. She glanced over at her purse again, at the book looking at her from the interior. She made to reach for it, but stopped as she realized she needed to get home.

As she switched into drive, Bowie glanced up at the road and spotted something she had never seen in the area before. Since there was snow all around the area, it was difficult to see the white owl with a heart-shaped face sitting on one of the tree branches hanging above the road, its eyes trailed right on her. Bowie hit the brakes to stop and stare at the owl, letting out a deep breath as she watched it. They kept eye contact for close to five seconds before the owl lifted its wings, soaring away into the night sky.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four

The snowing around the city had only gotten worse throughout the night after Bowie had arrived home - snow glistened on the trees the next morning, and along the streets that had yet to be cleared quite yet. She checked her phone for any new messages, and felt quite a bit relieved when she read an email from her teachers telling their students that classes would not be in session due to dangerous weather conditions. Since Nick had told Bowie not to come into work until after finals, she had a whole day to spend, completing projects and studying for her finals.

 _I should invite Ashley over_ , Bowie thought, standing up from her bed unwillingly as she stretched, looking out at the city scape before her. _She's not too far from here._

Bowie walked out of her bedroom, cutting through the living room until she entered the kitchen. Bowls were stacked neatly on one side of the sink, along with a few utensils and cups. She pulled one of the ceramic purple bowls out along with a wide spoon before setting them on the counter.

Bowie paused for a moment before placing her phone onto her portable music player, and then dialing Ashley.

"Hey, dipshit, you know it's six in the morning, right?" came a sleepy, exhausted voice from the speakers as Bowie felt a smile creep onto her face. "Class isn't for another few hours."

Ashley had been her friend for years, ever since she was 19 - they had met in her art class, which Ashley had to take as a filler in her schedule. Ashley was taller than Bowie, and more thick around the waist - her eyes were light brown, her hair sandy brown and naturally curly around her slender face. Her skin was the color of mocha, just as her eyes.

"Well, I take it you haven't seen the emails from the professors."

"Huh?"

"No class." There was a noise of relief from the speakers and Bowie let out a little laugh.

"Fuck yes, I can sleep more now. Why'd you call?"

"Well, I wanted to see if you'd like to come over to my apartment for a little while. I need a critique on my painting."

"Okay. I'll be over later, but right now, I'm gonna sleep." The conversation ended just like that, and Bowie sighed before turning on her favorite David Bowie song - Starman.

She hummed along to the song, spinning around as she made her way across the kitchen to the cabinets. She pulled out a box of cereal and poured it into the bowl, and then retrieved the milk to prepare her breakfast.

Jumping up onto the counter beside the window, Bowie pulled the bowl into her lap and started eating, the only noise being the song, her humming, and the crunching of the cereal. The darkened sky was slowly becoming more lighter than before, illuminating the sky and buildings all around her.

Finally, as she gazed at everything before her and wondered what she would all do to fill out her day, she noticed the same owl from the previous night flying through the sky, close to the window where she was.

Bowie furrowed her eyebrows, wondering if it was just her mind playing tricks on her - _how_ , she thought, _can I see the same owl in a city_ this _big?_

But she knew her mind wasn't playing tricks on her as the owl flew back around, eventually landing and perching on the window sill. Bowie let out a soft gasp, her mouth falling slightly in surprise as the bowl started to slip from her hands.

". . . Oh, hello," she said quietly, setting the bowl onto the counter before she dropped it all-together. "How did you end up here?"

The owl simply watched her, and she looked straight back at it with widened eyes.

 _It's funny, isn't it?_ she thought to herself. _That, you know . . . I see this "mystical" owl after grandma tells me about her adventure . . ._

Bowie let out a small laugh from her throat, and shook her head at her foolishness.

"Speaking of which . . ." she mumbled, stepping down from the counter before pulling her phone from the speakers. She dialed in the number of her grandma's home phone number, then held the electronic device up to her ear.

"Hello?" came the greeting, unlike Ashley's grumpy one.

"Hi grandma," Bowie replied, and automatically her grandma shot her with questions.

"Oh, Victoria! Did you sleep well? Did you eat what I sent home with you? Don't you try to go out anywhere in this weather today, young lady - it's dangerous."

"Yes, grandma, I slept well - I'm going to eat the food you made me for dinner tonight - and I don't have any plans to go out. I think Ashley's coming over in a little bit." Bowie leaned against the kitchen counter and glanced at the window, and noticed the owl was still perched there. "Hey . . . have you ever seen any white owls around this area?"

There was a pause on the other line.

"What?"

"Have you ever seen any white owls around here?" Bowie repeated, eyes trailed right on the owl.

"Only once . . ." Her grandma sighed quickly, before regaining her composer. "It must be emigrating from the north, dear. I'm sure of it."

"Alright. Are you doing okay?"

"Yes, Victoria. I'm perfectly fine, and I will be."

"Alright. I'll be over sometime soon, okay?"

"Yes, dear. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye." She sighed deeply, setting down her phone to look back at the window. The owl was no longer there.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five

The next day, Bowie headed to class the next morning with a yawn leaving her mouth and a coffee in one hand, her bag on her shoulder as she took the elevator up to her class. She hummed quietly to herself as she removed her blue wool jacket and scarf, watching as the elevator passed each floor quickly before it ended up on the fifth. She stepped out and entered through the open foyer, then walked down the hall until she reached a purple door. Laughs came from the other side and Bowie smiled before opening the door.

The art classroom was filled with a few different students, all varying in shape and size and nationality. Some were painting on a canvas, others were simply drawing, while others were using bottles of ink to create different patterns on a shirt. Ashley was already there, half-asleep on her stool with a large lump of clay in one hand.

"Wake up!" Bowie said loudly as she leaned in towards her ear, and Ashley yelped as she caught herself before falling.

"Okay, asshole," she muttered, shaking her head before placing the clay on the table. "Was that completely necessary?"

"Yes, yes it was," came the reply, along with a small laugh before Bowie set her things down on the other end of the table. "Where's Andy?"

"He's helping Ali pick out some different companies she could work with in the future," Ashley replied. "I think she's leaning towards that company over in Scotland."

" _Scotland?_ Damn, that's pretty far."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Ashley mumbled as Bowie pulled out her oil paints and various other jars full of liquids that Ashley became confused by. "Are you working on the landscape or the portrait today?"

"Portrait. The landscape's still in my apartment," she replied, walking away to grab the large canvas board near the tall windows of the room. "Oh, and thanks for coming over yesterday."

"It was pretty enjoyable. It's not everyday I get to drink a glass of wine." Ashley winked and Bowie rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a small smile.

"It wasn't a whole lot."

"But still - if my dad knew, he'd flip his everlasting _shit_ ," Ashley said with a wink, and then let out a snort of a laugh. "Oh, Bowie."

"I still don't exactly think I'm worthy of the title, you know," came the response as Bowie set her canvas onto the table and crawled up onto her stool, sitting on the balls of her feet as she held a paintbrush. "Bowie was such a fucking legend."

"I heard Bowie, and I am now interested." Andy, Bowie's professor, walked over to them while pushing his thick-rimmed glasses up his long nose. His green eyes smiled at the pair, and he looked bright as ever. "How've you girls been doing with the weather like this?"

"Cold, trust me," Ashley mumbled, smacking her clay. "Thanks for letting me work on the clay instead today - I just . . . I wasn't feeling like acrylic was the way to go this time."

"We all have those days. You really should consider a career with paint, though - I know some people that would gladly hire you to paint murals."

"Thanks, but I think that's more up _her_ alley." Ashley made a point to glance over at Bowie. "You should see her portrait."

"Well, I will." Andy stepped away from Ashley and moved to stand behind Bowie, who lept up on her chair so she was standing taller than everyone else in the room. "How many times do I have to tell you not to stand on the stool?"

"I'm not a toddler - I just prefer the air up here."

"You sure about that?" Bowie sent him a quick look, and he simply laughed as he looked over the canvas. "This looks really nice. Have you looked at that place I told you about?"

"The museum across town? Yeah. Do you really think they'd accept some of my work?" Andy nodded, and Bowie's lips tilted up in a soft smile.

"No doubt in my mind. My only recommendation is to add more shading to the right size of the nose, so that way it looks much more sharper than it does now."

"Okay, I'll get on that." Andy pat her shoe before walking away, and Bowie lowered back to a squat on the stool.

"Is that even remotely comfortable?" Ashley asked, glancing over as Bowie pulled out her gray paints.

"More than you'd probably think."

She heard a snort, and then a sigh of wonder. Bowie glanced up with an arched eyebrow to see Ashley looking past her at one of the large windows.

"Holy shit, either the paint fumes in here are making me high or there's an owl perched at that window." Bowie adjusted in order to turn and was only a tad bit surprised to see the all-too-familiar white owl watching everyone in the art room. She turned back around, muttering curse words under her breath.

"I see it too. I keep seeing it everywhere I go, I swear," Bowie said, shaking her head. "I've never even seen any owls around here."

"I haven't either - it's really strange. Oh, wait - nope, it just flew away." When Bowie glanced back again, the owl was gone and she sighed deeply. "But have you really seen it more than once?"

"Yeah. Weird, right?"

"Yeah . . . especially in Chicago, huh?"

" _Especially_." Bowie started painting again, humming quietly to herself as she did so and laughing at the occasional joke Ashley made during the two hours they were there. Two hours seemed more like two minutes before she attended her next classes, still piecing together how she could see the same owl three times in a short amount of time.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six

Bowie drove to her grandmother's, the radio in her car blaring classic rock as she drove with her hands tightly gripping the leather steering wheel. She had to know if the owl was a coincidence, or if it was following her - and Bowie knew the only person who would hold the answers was her grandmother.

With a gulp, she pulled into the driveway and parked before shutting off the car. For three minutes, she sat unmoving - her hands in her lap, eyes trailed directly on the garage door in front of her. She then took a deep breath and blinked before stepping out of the car. She walked up the porch as she bit her lip nervously, and then opened the old door to step inside.

"Hello?" her grandmother seemed to ask from the kitchen.  
"Just me," Bowie called out, removing her coat as she walked into the kitchen. Her grandmother was currently stacking plates into boxes slowly, while also humming a quiet tune to herself. She smiled over at Bowie as she sat on top of the counter near the window, which had snow built up on its ledge.

"Oh, Victoria. I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"I was going to come tomorrow, but . . ." Her grandmother's green eyes trailed on her face, and Bowie brought her eyes to look at the ground. "I just . . . ever since the story you began to tell me about . . ."

"Yes?" her grandmother asked patiently, eyebrows raised as she set down a few plates.

"I keep getting followed," Bowie finally burst at last, sighing on the end. "By a . . . bird."

"A _bird_?"

"I know, it sounds so insane, but-"

". . . What kind?" Bowie stopped and looked at her grandmother for any kind of joke, but found none. A pit formed in her stomach as she kept her eyes still.

"A white one. An owl." Her grandmother's eyes went wide and she shook her head, then brought a hand up to her head.

"I thought it was all over with," she mumbled quietly, and then met the eyes of her worried granddaughter. "I haven't seen him for years. I'm afraid if he saw me now, and whisked me away once more, I wouldn't be the same."

"Are you talking about the labyrinth?" Bowie asked, tilting her head to the side as she squinted her eyes. Her grandmother let out a 'tsk', pulling out an old wooden chair from the table to sit down.

"I know you still don't believe I'm saying, but it's true, as true as the time when I first held you as a baby."

"Okay . . . so if it's real, then tell me how this owl is connected to it all. Please." Sarah nodded and clasped her hands on the table, her eyes glazed over as if thinking of something from a long time ago.

"I first saw the owl years ago, much younger than you. I didn't think much of it at the time, of course - it was just a bird, after all - but then it wasn't."

"What do you mean?"

"The owl is the Goblin King - he can turn himself into an owl, a white one," she explained, and the more skeptical Bowie became. "I guess it _is_ the perfect animal for him - owls are very observant. But Bowie, dear, promise me that you will not attempt to make contact with it. The both of us no longer need anymore trouble in our lives."

"But . . . what if it keeps following me?"

"Ignore it. Long ago, he was incredibly cruel and arrogant. I am not sure if the times have changed him as they've changed me." Bowie nodded skeptically, still confused as to whether she was telling the truth or not. But, if she did happen to be speaking the truth, Bowie felt that she was in danger.

"What did he look like?" Bowie asked, her eyes hard as she decided to believe instead of criticize. "The King, that is. So I know."

"Ah. Well . . . he is tall, and usually wears black. His eyes are strange - one has a large pupil, and the other is smaller. His hair is very light, and long. You'll know who it is once you see him."

"Alright. Hopefully I won't have to see him, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders, moving down from the counter. When she looked over, she noticed an old stuffed animal laying on the counter - it was an orange thing, with an elongated nose, wide bulging eyes, and fire-colored strings for hair. Bowie picked it up with a small laugh in the back of her throat, then held it up to her grandmother.

"Was this little guy in the box?" she asked, and her grandmother glanced over. "It's cute."

"Not in real life," came the reply, barely above a whisper of breath.

"Hm?"

"I encountered those ugly beasts in the labyrinth - they tried pulling my head off!" Bowie let out a small giggle and shook her head. "It's true, Victoria! Evil little beasts."

". . . They tried pulling your head off." Bowie's voice was monotone, the expression on her face void of emotion. Her grandmother stood, her eyes furrowed as she crossed her arms.

"Yes, and it was not a great experience."

". . . Okay."

"Oh, if you had been me, you wouldn't have that look in your eyes." She rose a hand up to Bowie's cheek, dragging her thumb along its smooth surface. She held a small smile, and then sighed deeply.  
"You're so creative, and so beautiful . . . I don't understand why you won't believe me."

"I believe that there's a fine line between imagination and reality," Bowie said quietly with a shrug.

"A line that was meant to be broken." She paused, and then let out a small laugh. "You'll learn one of these days - one of these days, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, and then you'll realize your old grandmother happened to know what she was talking about."

Bowie thought of the words she had said, and even when she had left her grandmother's house for the night, she still couldn't get them to leave her mind at peace.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven

Since it was a Saturday, Bowie decided to spend the day alone - no classes, no work, just her, her art, snack foods, and coffee. It was the perfect day alone to her, without stress clawing at her back. She had decided not to dress that day, deciding to instead stay in her lazy clothes - a pair of gray sweatpants and an over-sized, old Breaking Benjamin shirt that had belonged to her father. she had her old thin blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she sat on the kitchen table in her apartment, her canvas laid out in front of her as she ate part of a peach, taking breaks between painting and eating to check her phone for any messages.

Only when it was around noon did she finally stop painting - only when she heard a tapping at the window did she stand up, bringing her attention away from her things. Beside the window sat the white owl, watching her with what looked like interest. Bowie recalled the story her grandmother had told her, then bit her lip as she struggled to decide whether it was real or not.

 _This owl can't be a fucking king_ , Bowie thought to herself, shaking her head before standing up. _I might as well scare it away, though._

She opened the window, then began to use her hand in an attempt to remove the owl. It didn't budge.

"Okay, owl, you really need to stop stalking me," Bowie said with a sigh, leaning against the sink with a raised eyebrow. It kept looking at her with the same glint in its eyes, but its head tilted to the side. "Wait . . . why the hell am I talking to an animal . . . what am I, Snow White?"

She laughed at her joke and shook her head, moving herself into a standing position. She recalled her grandmother's words about contacting the Goblin King, and kept them in mind as she turned to look at the owl once more. It let out a small 'hoot' and she walked back over to look at it.

"Well . . . I guess she was an interesting character, eating foods from strangers and such. But _you_ . . . you are something from a fairytale." It fluttered its wings as if accepting a compliment, and Bowie raised an eyebrow. "Wait . . . do you really understand what I'm saying?"

At the look it gave her, Bowie knew that this wasn't an ordinary owl - she shook her head, raising her hands to her forehead.

"I'm fucking nuttier than a Fruit Loop, aren't I?" she mumbled, lowering her hands with a sigh. "This must happen to every artist, huh?"

The owl didn't respond, and as Bowie went to say something more she heard her phone ringing from the table. She turned around and walked towards it, before answering it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Vicky." The voice was masculine and deep, and it brought a smile to Bowie's face as tears filled her eyes.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the heel of her foot for a second as her teeth showed from behind her lips. "I haven't heard from you in almost two months! I was starting to get worried, you know."

"I'm sorry, hun. I haven't had the time to talk to anyone all that much outside of the group. I just sent out a letter a few days ago, though - anyways, how've things been for you lately? Did you take your finals yet?"

"Next week. And things have been okay, I guess - I'm helping grandma move in with Judy. She has a lot more stuff than I ever thought."

He let out a deep chuckle, and Bowie wanted nothing more in that moment than to hug him.

"She keeps everything, and I'm sure you know that now."

"Yeah, I do . . . dad, when are you coming home?" Bowie couldn't stop the tears from welding into big drops, falling down her cheeks in curved lines. "I haven't seen you since . . . since . . ."

"High school graduation?"

". . . Yeah . . ." Her voice was choked and she bit her knuckles to stop from sobbing. Her father sighed deeply.

"I know, hun, and I wish I could be there for you. I'm not sure when I'll be home, but it'll be soon, I promise. Come on, don't cry - just remember that this isn't the last time we'll talk, okay?"

"Okay," she said weakly, sniffling and shivering as a cold breeze floated in through the kitchen. "Just . . . dad, please come home safe to me and grandma . . . and retire soon . . ."

"Vicky-"

"Can you at least try?" He paused.

"I'll try my hardest, hun. Look, I've only got a minute left on the phone." Bowie felt her chest tighten as she let out a deep sigh.

"Promise you'll call back as soon as possible," she pleaded, leaning against the kitchen counter as she ran a hand through her hair.

"I promise. I love you."

"I love you too, dad. And miss you." The line went silent and she pulled back the phone, seeing that he had hung up before placing the phone down as emptiness filled her heart, more tears welling in her eyes.

Words couldn't explain how much she missed her father - he had been there for her as a child, but when she was a teenager, he enlisted in the army and sent her to live with her grandparents while he went off to fight. Since those teenage years, Bowie had only seen him twice - once when she was 13, and the next was when she was graduating from high school. Each day that passed was another she spent worrying about him, another day that she wished he would be sent home for good.

She sniffled once more before pinching the bridge of her nose and turning, gasping as she noticed the owl still sitting at the window.

"Oh!" she mumbled quietly, and then shook her head. "You should leave."

It looked at her for a long minute, and she stared right back pleadingly before watching it fly off.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Eight

She couldn't focus the Monday when she went back to class - Bowie's thoughts were too lost in the owl who was watching her, seeing what she did throughout her days. She wasn't sure _what_ to believe - it couldn't _possibly_ be a king, could it?

She shook her head, dabbing some paint onto her brush with a deep sigh making her chest fall. The way her grandmother had talked about the labyrinth, how she seemed so sincere, left her mind in a whirl and confusion a casual thing.

"Hey, do you want a banana?" Ashley asked, glancing up from her canvas board as she ate an apple. She held up the yellow fruit with a small smile. "You look like you didn't eat much this morning."

"I didn't," Bowie replied quietly, and Ashley slid the banana across the table. While she peeled back the top layer, Ashley looked over Bowie's face.

"Something wrong? You look like you haven't slept for a few days."

"I've had a lot on my mind. You'd think I'm crazy if I told you," Bowie said, and proceeded to take a bite from the banana as she perched on top of the stool once again.

"I've heard it all. Trust me, whatever you've got to say won't exactly faze me. So, what's been bothering you so much?" Ashley kept her eyes trailed on Bowie. "Is it Nick? Did you finally do more than just take pictures? Or did you take . . . _dirty_ pictures?"

Bowie's eyes went wide as Ashley wiggled her eyebrows.

"Ashley, he's my boss!" she exclaimed, cheeks flushed a light pink. "You are horrible. Besides, we're just friends, and that's how it's going to stay."

"Okay, okay, sorry I blew up. What is it, then?" Bowie set down her paintbrush and took another bite from her banana before sitting on the stool correctly.

"Remember that owl? The one that was outside the window the other day?" Bowie began, trying to piece her words together as she spoke.

"How could I forget?"

"Well . . . I think it's following me. I keep seeing it everywhere I go, and I swear . . . I swear to God, I do . . ." Ashley's eyebrows furrowed and used a hand to cup her chin, as if in deep thought. She then replied with a sigh.

"Maybe it thinks you're pretty. I mean, you really _could_ be a model. I know that's not what you want to do, but I guess it's a possibility, huh? Maybe it just recognizes your face from somewhere and just follows you because it recognizes you? I don't know, man - I don't speak owl."

Bowie sighed.

"It gets even more strange."

"Oh?" Ashley set down her brush and her canvas, crossing her arms over her knees as her eyes trailed carefully on Bowie.

"I've been helping my grandma move out of her house - you know, the one where I grew up as a teen? I know you've been there."

"I have. It's a cute little house."

"Anyways . . . I found this box in the attic while I was helping her pack. And it was strange, because it held all of this . . . this stuff from when she was a teenager. Then she started telling me some story about how, when she was a teenage girl, she met a Goblin King when she wished away her brother, and had to solve a labyrinth in order to get him back."

"What's this got to do with the owl?"

"I saw the owl the night after my grandma let me take one of her books from the box - a book called _The Labyrinth_. And just the other night, when I went to see her and ask if the owl was connected, she said the king could transform into an owl whenever he pleased."

Ashley looked deep in thought, then let out a small laugh.

"You're so full of shit."

"I am not!" Bowie said, shaking her head. "I promise, it's the truth. But I don't know if it's real or not."

"Well . . . why don't you just ask it? If it's a plain old owl, it'll just do something like an owl and it'll be over. If it does happen to be this fantasy guy . . . well . . . I don't know what to do, then."

"I think I'm going to go and talk to my grandma after class about it. Wanna go with?" Bowie asked.

"Sure. It'll give me something to do for a few hours until I go to dance practice." Ashley hummed quietly to herself as she ate another bite of her apple. "I haven't seen her in a while, anyways. You driving?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll give you gas money." Bowie nodded and picked up her brush once more, thinking about what the future held in store for her. If only she knew things were going to get progressively stranger from then on.

* * *

Bowie and Ashley arrived at her grandmother's house thirty minutes after class, each one quietly thinking about the situation Bowie was currently in. When they stepped into the house, the smell of chocolate chip cookies drifted through the air, and Ashley let out a small, pleased noise.

"Holy hell, I forgot your grandma makes the best cookies," she mumbled, drifting towards the smell. "I need one, like, _right now_."

Bowie let out a snort of a laugh as she followed Ashley towards the kitchen, where Bowie's grandmother was sitting at the table with a crossword as a batch of cookies baked in the oven.

"Hi grandma," Bowie greeted, leaning against the doorway. "I brought Ashley with me."

Her grandmother smiled and stood up, pulling Ashley into a hug with a smile.

"Hi! I haven't seen you in a while, Ashley! How's things been going for you? Well, I hope," she said, pulling back while Ashley smiled.

"Things have been well. Bowie was telling me today the story you told her. The one about a labyrinth?"

"Oh, really?" She turned to look at Bowie, who shifted her head to look in the opposite direction. "And I presume you don't believe me, either?"

"I do, actually." Bowie looked up, eyes widened with surprise as she met Ashley's gaze. From the look in her eye, Bowie could tell that Ashley really _did_ believe her grandmother. "I was wondering if you could tell me and Bowie more about it."

"Of course. Victoria, sweetie, can you please go into the living room and fetch the box you found in the attic? It will make things much more easier."

Bowie nodded before heading into the living room, and then coming back to the kitchen with the box. She set it on the tabletop before sitting in a chair next to Ashley, and her grandmother slowly began to rummage through the box.

She pulled out a unique music box, which held a girl in a white dress in the middle surrounded by golden framework. Ashley let out a noise of interest as Bowie's grandmother wound it, causing a chorus of beautiful music to play throughout the room.

"I wore this dress at one point - of course, it was bigger," her grandmother began with a small smile, "It was when the Goblin King decided to try and stop me from beating the labyrinth. He sent me into a dream - a ball - where we danced. Such a strange memory."

She set the music box down, then pulled out what looked like a fox wearing a beret.

"Sir Didymus!" she exclaimed with a gasp, and Ashley shared a look with Bowie. "It's been so long since I've seen him! My, I haven't thought about him for . . . for a long time. He was such an interesting little fox, him and Ambrosius, his dog."

". . . Interesting," Bowie said, raising an eyebrow. "Grandma, I was wondering . . .may I take the box home? If you don't want me to, that's fine, but I just-"

"Yes, you may. I . . . have no use for it anymore." She slid the box across the table, and Bowie held in on her lap carefully, as if it was a baby. "Just please, be careful with it all. It was very important to me at one point in life."

"I promise I will be." She smiled calmly at her grandma, and the same smile was gladly returned.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Nine

For days after last talking to her grandmother, Bowie had left the box sitting on in the closet in the living room, quietly waiting to be explored as things became more and more busy for her. She began to scramble to finish her landscape, and to prepare for her finals which would take up most - if not all - of the week.

After an exhausting five days, however, she was finally finished with the last tests of her first semester of her last college year, and had all of Winter Break to waste away. For the next few days, Bowie decided to take advantage of Nick's words and wait a few days before texting to tell him she would be free to work until school started back up - and, during those days the week after finals, she remembered the box which was sitting in the living room closet.

She shifted in her spot, hesitant to leave the warmth of her blanket and the soft pillows on the couch of her apartment, to bring her attention from _Orange Is The New Black_ \- an older show that apparently her father had loved a long time ago. The closet seemed to beckoning her, however, and she paused the show to get up.

Bowie opened the door, and the box sat on the ground - it looked just like any ordinary box, but with its contents peeking out from the top. She sighed and picked the box up before setting it on the living room floor. She shivered as she sat down, already regretting leaving the warmth of her blanket. But she knew that, if she didn't look through the box now, she never would.

The first thing she pulled out was an old crown made of plastic pearls and metallic paper - she looked at it for a few seconds before laughing quietly to herself, imagining her grandmother when she was younger wearing the old thing. Bowie carefully set it down, then pulled out an old poster of winding staircases that seemed to break the rules of traditional design - they went sideways, upside down, rightside up, and so many more directions that Bowie lost track of where to focus.

"Trippy," she mumbled before setting it down, too, and then caught a glimpse of the little stuffed fox once more. She let out a laugh from the back of her throat as she looked into its plastic eyes, and the deep blue hat on its head.

"Sir Didymus," Bowie said, holding him up higher to look at him in the artificial light of the living room. "Apparently a friend of my grandmother's."

She set the stuffed animal down carefully, running the tips of her fingers over the surface of its fur. Then, still touching the fur of the stuffed animal, she caught a glint of light off of something in the box. Her curiosity received the best of her, and she reached inside the box to feel around for whatever it had been to catch her attention.

It seemed to be the biggest item in the box, as well as the heaviest - from her guess, the item was made of clay or something alike, and something of a statue.

When she finally pulled the item out of the box and set it down, she took the time to look it over. She had been right - it was a tall ceramic statue, no taller than 20 inches. It was a statue of a man who wore tall boots and tight pants, as well as an open shirt under a leather vest. A dark cape was draped over his shoulders, cascading all the way down to his feet in waves and encircling him body. His face was pointed and stern, his seemingly long hair sprawled out over his shoulders and framing his face.

Bowie furrowed her eyebrows before realizing that this had to be the Goblin King - the person who her grandmother claimed was the owl, and the one who _could_ possibly be following her.

"Hm," she whispered, running her fingers over the hard surface of his hair, "Curious."

She then heard a tap on the window and jumped, looking over just in time to see a white owl flying away into the sky.

* * *

He couldn't deny it - Jareth knew that there was something about the human girl he had seen that was different, and that his urge to see Sarah in her elderly age was no mere coincidence. He knew it, and he especially knew that things were going to end up . . . well, strangely, and for the first time he wasn't sure what to expect.

He could remember the decision he made to see Sarah one last time - _one_ last time, and he would be completely done with her, and all she would be was a distant memory. He went to the small house where she lived as an adult, and raised children, and her children's children under one roof. The house had become older with time, and more run down than it had been at one time - just as Sarah.

He watched through the living room window, hidden away in the bushes as she stacked books into a box slowly, tucking her white hair behind her ear every once in awhile. He watched precariously, wonder filling his head before - lo and behold - a young girl stepped into the room with a dusty box in her arms.

Instantly, Jareth knew that this was a descendant of Sarah - they had the same nose, lips, and close to the same eyes if not for the girl's being more blue. She looked confused as Sarah looked over the box as if she were suddenly remembering something. When Jareth saw the red book that had been stored away for ages, he knew that the story had been awoken and there was nothing he could do about it. When the book was passed to the girl, however, he knew what he would do from now on: he would watch her.

For weeks he kept his eyes on her, and only on a few different occasions did she notice him - and she seemed scared, curious almost, and had even once talked with him without knowing he wasn't just simply an owl. At first, Jareth had decided that he would trick the girl into wishing someone away - the girl who she was friends with, perhaps - as revenge for Sarah leaving.

Jareth thought about it all as he crossed the throne room which had once been lively, and was now crumbled sandstone and free of the once giddy goblins. He looked out the window he had once stood at all those years ago, watching as Sarah made her way through the Goblin City to save her baby brother. Only this time, his eyes were met with a worse sight.

The city was no longer as it had been - goblins were hidden away in the rubble, the houses nothing but piles of stone and sticks, just as ancient cities were to be. The labyrinth beyond was by far the worst - it had remained untouched for centuries, with the walls growing higher than ever before, and vines covering most of the labyrinth in a thick canopy. The forest beyond had spread to cover half of the labyrinth, even going so far as to reach the Bog of Eternal Stench. It was a dangerous place now - he didn't even dare to step a foot inside of it.

He thought of the girl - Victoria, her name was - as he looked out at the labyrinth that had once been his pride and joy. From the weeks he spent watching her, he had grown quite fond of her - she was a strange girl, unlike any other that Jareth had ever met, and seemed much more than what she put out to the world. At this point, Jareth wasn't sure if he wanted the girl to wish herself away - in fact, he wasn't sure if he would want revenge again. Instead, he was much more interested in learning more about the strange girl named Victoria.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Ten

She hadn't seen the owl for a few days - Bowie tried to catch a glimpse of it every minute she could, and always found herself disappointed when it wasn't sitting on the window ledge of her kitchen or following her to Nick's photography studio. Eventually, she began to believe the owl stopped following her and had forgotten all about her. The thought saddened her - she wasn't sure as to why it would, but knew that her chest felt hollow as Ashley applied makeup around her eyes, and Nick sat taking practice shots at the gray screen while Ashley helped Bowie get ready.

Nick had asked Bowie to be his model for the day, in order to help promote his studio - he had said he needed examples of his work for the website, and also prints to submit to the local art gallery, and he had asked her if she would be up to the task. She agreed.

"You seem sad," Ashley said, finishing the deep smoky eye as she clocked the case shut, "And tilt your chin up while I put these fake lashes on."

Bowie complied while Ashley got to work adding the glue to the lash.

"I've just been having an off-week, I suppose." Ashley began to apply the lashes, letting out curse words as it curved in different directions.

"There was a fucking reason I rarely buy these things," she mumbled, shaking her head as she applied the second lashes, "So much god damn glue that I don't like to use. Anyways, why don't we go for a coffee after the shoot? Hey, Nick, you up for that?"

"I'm always in the mood for coffee," Nick replied, and he didn't look up from the settings on his camera as Bowie walked over to stand by the screen. "Okay, Ashley, can you run the fan for the shoot?"

"Got it!" Ashley said excitedly, rushing the large fan on wheels over.

"Uh, Nick? You really shouldn't trust Ashley with a-" She was cut off by the loud sound of the fan, followed by a gust of air nearly pushing her down to the floor. Nick scolded Ashley, who was currently laughing, and she turned down the setting so that the fan blew a gentle breeze onto Bowie, just enough to make the dark draping dress she was wearing flutter in the breeze.

"Okay, Vicky - what I'm gonna have you do is keep a straight face, look down, and try to look as natural as possible." Bowie nodded and followed the instructions, but her mind still kept drifting towards the thoughts of the owl that had been following her.

"Are you sure it's really just an off-week? You keep looking around at everything as if waiting for someone - or something - to appear." Ashley raised an eyebrow at Bowie, who was sitting a square table beside Nick. Her slender fingers were wrapped around a mug of light coffee, the steam rolling off its surface in wisps. She sighed and looked down at her drink, then towards the window where they were sitting.

"You remember the owl I told you about, right?" she asked, watching the people passing the window.

"What?" Nick asked, eyebrows furrowed as he sat straighter. "What do you mean?"

Bowie opened her mouth to respond, but Ashley beat her before she could answer.

"There's this white owl that's been following her. She think it's connected to a story her grandma told her." Bowie nodded in confirmation while Nick leaned back in his chair, a hand on his chin.

"Well, that's strange."

"That's what I said!" Bowie said, leaning her elbows on the table as she held her head. "And for some reason, I kind of . . . I kind of grew attached to Hedwig . . ."

"Oh my god, did you seriously name the bird?" Ashley asked, letting out a small laugh.

"It's like a pet, okay?" Bowie said, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "I just wonder what happened to it - I'm actually kind of worried."

"Hm . . . well, maybe it's just taking a trip? Do owls migrate during winter? Nick, can you Google that?" Ashley turned to look at him and he shook his head.

"It would have migrated _before_ winter, Ashley. Don't worry about it too much, Vicky - besides, what about your trip to Europe? That's coming up soon, right?"

"In a year."  
"What? I thought it would be sooner." Bowie shook her head again, then sighed as she ran a hand down her neck.

"I did, too. But with all of these student fees I've been paying off monthly, I . . . I really can't." Nick nodded in understanding, and Ashley did the same but with a heavy sigh.

"It's such bullshit, isn't it?" she asked, shaking her head. "The government is mooching off of us - they charge us up the ass for college, then make us spend the rest of our lives paying it off. It's just complete-"

"Ashley-"

"Zip it, Nick. Okay, I'm sorry for saying that. But seriously, the system sucks, and you'd think it would've improved after all these years, huh?" Ashley said, face turning red - something that _always_ happened whenever she got fired up about something. "And look, you won't even be able to travel to Europe until you're older when in reality . . . you should be seeing it all now."

"I agree," Bowie said quietly after a moment of silence between them, the noise of the others in the shop the only noise between them all. "I'm drowning in debt, and I'm only 22."

"I'm 19 and my debt is more than yours," Ashley mumbled with a groan, running a hand down her face. "I really shouldn't have taken out more from the bank than I needed. Sometimes I wish I was rich, so that way I could make the world's issues up and disappear."

"Doesn't everyone?" Nick said, shaking his head. "But Ashley, what you've got to understand is it isn't as easy as that. We, as humans, make everything more difficult than it has to be."

 _Yeah_ , Bowie thought as she took a sip from her coffee, _tell me about it._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Eleven

The sound of a woman singing filled Bowie's apartment the following night, a woman singing _Life On Mars?_ as she showered slowly, making sure to soothe each one of her muscles. Of course, the woman was Bowie - her hair was stuck to her face in dark whisps, drops of water covering her smooth skin while she sang to herself. She thought while in the shower, thought about her family, her friends, but most of all: her grandmother's story.

 _It can't be real,_ Bowie thought while washing the remaining bubbles from her shoulders, _and I really don't want to get out of the shower - I know as soon as I step out it's going to feel like cold as hell._

She sighed as she shut off the water, letting out a shiver before reaching for her old blue robe, throwing it onto her shoulders as she stepped out to dry off. She kept humming along to the song as she dried her feet and her legs, as well as brushing out her hair and further drying. When she had finished, she put on her pajamas and gazed at her reflection in the mirror - the same blue-green eyes, button nose, lips . . . same everything.

But then, out of the corner of her eye, Bowie noticed a shift under the towels stacked in the closet next to the shower. She furrowed her eyebrows before turning around, pulling up the first towel to see nothing but air.

"I must be losing it," she mumbled quietly with a shake of the head before stepping out into her bedroom. It was messy, to say the least - clothes were strewn around on the bed, the floor, and even a pair of socks had managed to reach the bookshelf. Paintbrushes were stored where she had last been using them, tubes of paint were on the dresser, and the walls were completely covered with old posters she had found. "I really need to clean . . . yeah, no - too lazy . . . wait . . ."

Just as she was about to leave the room, she noticed that a few of her books that had been on the shelf were now thrown open onto her bed, some tossed carelessly and others simply set down. This was strange to Bowie because she hadn't touched any of the books on the shelf for a week - she _knew_ for sure.

 _Funny, I haven't even touched_ The Bone Season _since I last read it_ , she thought to herself, picking up the books and stacking them neatly on top of the shelf. She shook her head once more before stepping out of her bedroom, switching off the light as she did so.

But as she left, she remembered she had left the bedroom light on, and the lamp next to her bed on. A cold chill ran down her spine and fear made her heart accelerate before she walked quickly towards the kitchen. She noticed nothing more unusual until she reached her destination, and it was then that she felt relief - the owl was sitting on the ledge, pecking at the window.

She didn't feel relief, however, until she let out a small yelp of surprise at the sound of the pecking on the glass.

"It's just you," she said quietly, opening the window wearily. She sighed before opening it further, looking at the window with hesitation. The owl flew in, struggling to land with its talons clicking against the kitchen sink. Bowie fell back against the table, one of her hands gripping the tabletop as her eyes went wide. When its feathers had settled, the owl looked at her. "I was starting to believe you were gone."

The owl kept staring at her, then simply blinked as Bowie sat up straighter. She slowly walked closer, then extended a hand to gently pet the owl's feathers. It let out a soft noise and she smiled with a small laugh, the fear she had felt earlier fading away like ice cream on a warm day.

"You're a soft little thing, aren't you?" Bowie said with a small laugh. "And I don't just mean your feathers - there's a reason you keep coming back to me, isn't there? I wonder if you see me as a mother, and if you lost yours?"

The owl stopped enjoying the affection to look up at her, as if sending some type of message through its eyes. Bowie took the hint.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. So it's not that, then . . . then I wonder what it is . . ." She stopped stroking its feathers to lean against the counter, the owl's eyes large in the overhead kitchen light. "I've been trying to find out for weeks, and it's been driving me nuts. Absolutely nuts! And it all started when my grandma told me a fantasy story about a box I found . . ."

The owl shifted on its talons and ruffled its wings. Bowie didn't notice.

"She told me a strange story - one about this labyrinth, and how she wished her brother away. I still can't believe it, no matter how hard I try - and I really do, trust me. I think that it's because, after all this time, why is she _just now_ remembering? Is it because of the box? Or something else . . ."

She paused, looking over at the owl before letting out a small laugh and leaning back up, turning her back to the owl as she placed her hands around the back of her head.

"And then she told me the story of this supposed Goblin King. A king! Strange, I bet. Well, if you don't agree, then it just is to me. Anyways . . . she told me watch out for him." Bowie turned back to glance at the owl, a slight crease between her eyebrows. "She told me he came in the form of a bird."

This time, she noticed the shift of the owl, the flutter of its wings and many other movements of its small body.

"Strange," she whispered, looking to the ground as she turned once more. "Strange that I still don't know which side I need to believe . . . I almost wish that . . . oh, forget it. It's stupid."

The owl let out a soft 'hoot', making her jump and turn around with wide eyes. It stared at her intently, silently begging for something that she didn't know. She lowered to eye level with the owl, staring directly at it for a few seconds.

". . . I wish that I really _did_ know what the hell was going on with my life." In an instant, the lights in her apartment went out and was flooded with darkness - Bowie let out another yelp as she stumbled around the kitchen, bumping into the table as she heard the owl moving about the area. She felt the wind pushed from its wing on her face and fell at the entrance of the kitchen, gasping as she did so as she heard the sound of eerie giggles that seemed to come from everywhere in her apartment. But then suddenly, just as the noises had come, they had ceased. The owl was no longer within the apartment, and the lights slowly flickered back on. Bowie leaned against the doorway with a few tears rolling down her cheeks, chest heaving up and down as her eyes remained wide.

"Now, now, Victoria Williams, do I resemble the king whom you were to look out for?" she heard an accented voice ask from the living room, and cold blood traveled through her veins.

She glanced into the living room with wide eyes, and she was met with a quite the sight - there, right in front of her and dressed in the same outfit as the ceramic figure was the Goblin King.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Twelve

The first thing Bowie did was scream - it was a shocked, shrill scream, and she scrambled up to her feet before running into the kitchen. On instinct, the first thing she grabbed was a knife from the holder, keeping it in front of her with both hands on the black handle. Tears pricked her eyes and her arms shook as she kept eye contact with the strange man in her living room.

When he started to slowly walk forward, Bowie sent him a warning slash of the knife through the air, then said, "Stay back!"

The man let out a small chuckle as he shook his head, then held up both hands as he kept his gaze directly on her.

"I assure you, Ms. Williams, I have no intentions of harm towards you," he said in that accented voice once again, and her arms shook even more than before.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, her voice choked with the tears that had slowly started leaving her wide blue eyes.

"Why, I believe I _should_ know your name, _especially_ when you know mine. Or my title, at least." He took a step closer, and her grip on the knife tightened. "Goblin King, perhaps?"

"This isn't real," Bowie mumbled, more to herself than the monarch in front of her. "This is some horrible dream that I can't seem to wake from, I'm sure of it!"

"My dear, that is far from the truth. This is as real as you or me - as well as the weapon you currently hold in your hands. I have told you I mean no harm; must you keep waving that thing around? You don't want to hurt yourself, do you?"

Bowie stared at the man for a few seconds, unblinking, before slowly lowering the knife. She let it drop onto the table in the kitchen before stepping a few feet closer to the man in her living room, whose arms were crossed on his chest as he looked at her in pure amusement.

"You were the owl, weren't you? You're the owl that's been watching me," Bowie said, and a smirk grew on his lips.

"Clever girl, you are."

"Why? Why have you been watching me?"

"You summoned me, of course." Bowie opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a knock on the door. She looked at him for a few seconds, biting her lip.

"Wait here, and don't do anything." At the sharp look he gave her, she added, ". . . Please."

Bowie made her way to the door and slowly opened it a crack, just enough to see her neighbor to the left standing in her pajamas with a concerned look on her face.

"Ms. Williams, is something wrong? I heard a scream," she said, trying to look into the apartment. Bowie shook her head.

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Andrews. I saw a spider and . . . well, when I tried to kill it . . . it ended up on my face." Mrs. Andrews let out a quiet laugh, her lips curving up in a smile.

"Such a strange girl, you are. Well, I was just worried and figured I'd stop to ask what was wrong. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Bowie closed the door and locked it behind her before leaning against it with a heavy sigh.

"Lying now, are we?" For a split second she had forgotten he was there, leaning against the wall with his eyes directly on her. She opened her eyes from the place on the door, looking over.

"What was I _supposed_ to say? That I have a mysterious man in my living room, who is someone straight from a fantasy novel?" she asked, and he rolled his eyes.

"You were saying before we were so rudely interrupted?" Bowie furrowed her eyebrows and then shook her head.

"Right . . . well, before summoning you, I've - I've seen you - well, no _t really_ you - before now. As the owl." He let out a small 'hmph' sound, then walked closer to her, uncrossing his hands to place them on his hips. He seemed to be piecing his words together.

"I managed to find you, and I must say that I became mildly interested in your little human life." She felt a shiver travel down her spine as he began to circle her. "At first, I had rather dangerous intentions towards you, but not so much now. All I had to wait for was the wish - _your_ wish, Victoria Williams. Now I am here, and you received the answer."

He lifted a piece of her short dark hair, rubbing it between two fingers before stepping back in front of her. She gulped, her heart beating wildly as she realized that her grandmother _hadn't_ been lying - _it had been the truth all along._

". . . What now, then?" Bowie asked, voice quiet as she stared at the ground. "Does this mean you will take me away? Turn me into a goblin?"

To her surprise, the king let out a loud laugh with a shake of his head.

"Oh, I wish," he said, and she glared up at him, "That wasn't what you wished for, now, was it? I don't believe so. All you asked for were answers, and you did not wish anyone away, into my labyrinth."

Bowie went silent for a few seconds before she sat down on her couch, head in her hands.

"Well . . . now what?" she asked loudly, then let out a groan. "I don't have a clue what to do with this information, and no clue where to go from here. Maybe I did want more action in my life, but this . . . this is a bit _too_ extensive."

She heard him sigh before hearing the sound of his heeled boots clicking on the wooden floor of the living room as he paced.

" _You_ decide what to do with the information." Bowie looked back up at him before standing up, her eyes reaching the level of his shoulder. "I do have you gift for you, however."

Bowie's eyebrows furrowed together, her eyes widening as he produced a crystal sphere seemingly out of nowhere.

"How did you do that?" she asked, watching as he moved it back and forth in a pattern with his hands, the action nearly hypnotizing her. For the first time he smiled, then leaned closer towards her.

"Magic." He held it proudly balanced on the tips of his fingers, leaving her to gaze intently at it. "It's simply a crystal - it will show you the dreams you have, the wishes you have yet to make."

"Magic . . ." Bowie mumbled, and her tossed the ball into the air, watching as she fumbled to catch it in fear it would break would it hit the floor. He turned to leave, but Bowie interrupted him. "Wait!"

"Yes?" He turned, gazing at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I . . . I never accept gifts unless I have something for the other person." He tilted his head slightly, and she detected a hint of surprise in his strange eyes, with one pupil much more larger than the other. "It needs to be a fair exchange."

She slowly stepped past him into her bedroom, her eyes scanning the walls for something to give him in return for the crystal. Her eyes finally landed on a snow globe on the shelf above her dresser, one gathering dust. She pulled it down, shining the globe with her shirt as she gazed at the item.

The scene depicted in the middle was of two people dancing, the woman in a pale pink dress and the man wearing all black. The exterior of the globe was decorated with ceramic flowers and a knob to turn, making the people inside dance in a never ending circle to gentle music. She had received the globe at a wedding when she was 17 - the wedding of a famous couple in Chicago.

"I suppose this would be a fair trade," Bowie said, walking out with the snow globe on one arm. The man was currently gazing at the living room wall that held all of her personal photos, and she coughed awkwardly to make him turn. He looked at the globe as she held it out, then gently took it with surprise.

"Strange."

"What?" He didn't respond, and instead shook his head.

"Nothing, I assure you." He held the snowglobe carefully before regaining his composure. "I must be leaving."

"Well . . . may I at least know your name first?" Bowie asked quietly, watching as he turned. He stopped, but didn't turn to look at her.

"Jareth, my dear. Jareth is my name."

He disappeared in a matter of seconds, leaving Bowie to sit and stare at the crystal he had given her while crossing the line between reality and imagination.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Thirteen

"Victoria, sweetie, be a dear and help me with this box?" Bowie jumped at hearing her name, looking over at her grandmother who was currently smiling at her gently. Around them men moved about the house, the house where Sarah had lived for so long - the house that was now becoming shallow, tasteless without the personality it once held.

"Of course, grandma," Bowie mumbled as she shook her head, taking the box her grandmother was currently struggling to lift up. Today was the day when her grandmother was moving across the city to live with a close friend, and also the day after Bowie had first met the Goblin King face-to-face.

It had been only hours since she had met him and received the crystal, and yet she was still trying to piece the encounter together in her mind - _had_ it _really_ been _just_ a dream? Or was he real? And what about her had gotten his attention? Was it because of Sarah?

 _Of course_ , Bowie thought, sighing out loud as she carried the box out to a moving van. _He_ has _to know that she's my grandmother. Maybe that's why he had those bad intentions as he told me . . . damn._

"Are you alright?" her grandmother asked, watching as she handed the box over to one of the men standing in the bed of the van. "You seem nervous. Dreamy."

"It's just - I mean - I . . ." Bowie glanced over at the trees and noticed Jareth watching her from a branch, his eyes settled directly on her and her grandmother. The concerns surrounding her grandmother were true, and she tucked her hands in her coat pockets. "It's nothing, I guess. Just cold."

"Victoria, don't take me for a fool." She paused. "Did you meet a boy? Oh, Victoria! If you have, then you need to tell me! What's he like?"

"No, grandma . . ." Victoria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well . . . I guess it's something like that. But I don't know what else to say on it until we talk more."

"Is he kind, at least?" Bowie wrapped an arm around her grandmother's shoulders, leading her into the house past the men who were carrying the remaining items from the house. Bowie opened her mouth to reply, but her eyes caught a glimpse at the attic and she shut it again. Then, she remembered her father's box.

"Grandma, do you have dad's things? I forgot to take the box home."

"Oh! Of course," she said, walking towards the bedroom and then walking back with it in her arms. "I told the men not to touch it. You forgot it a few weeks ago, you silly goose."

Bowie cracked a small smile as she carried the box out to her car, setting it in the backseat. When she shut the door, her grandmother sighed and Bowie turned to her that her eyes held a sad glint in them.

"Grandma?" she asked quietly, watching as some of the men began closing the back of the van. "I think it's time to go."

"I'll be out soon. I would just like a few minutes alone in the house," she said, and walked towards the house until she was inside with the door shut. The men left the house, already headed towards their destination while Bowie leaned against the car, opening her purse for her chapstick.

She felt around for the tiny tube and instead, wrapped her fingers around the sphere she had received the night before. Looking around, Bowie slowly pulled it out before looking onto its surface with a curious glint in her eyes.

At first, the crystal did nothing - then, within seconds, images appeared on the surface. Depictions of herself having paintings in art galleries - her father, safely home in her arms - so many wishes, so many that she couldn't help but smile at the beauty she was presented with. Then, slowly, the image began to change to Bowie in an elegant white dress, clasping hands with a man she couldn't make out in the glass. While she was squinting to get a better look, she didn't notice the man walk to stand beside her.

"I see you appreciate my gift." She let out a small yelp, nearly dropping the crystal as she looked over to see Jareth.

"Don't do that!" she scolded, letting out a huff on the end as he laughed in amusement. "I don't like it when people sneak up on me like so."

"All I wanted to do was say hello. Oh, and to tell you that most of the men helping you and your grandmother today had all eyes on you."

" _Did not_." Jareth pointed over to the branch where he had been perched just minutes ago.

"I've been there for most of the day, watching them. Whenever you were to walk past, their eyes would drift to you instead of the work." Bowie rolled her eyes, stepping away as she looked at the crystal.

"You sound just like my best friend, Ashley. She's always trying to tell me the same thing."

"Very truthful, then." She turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I will just let you believe what you want," she said, placing the crystal in her purse. He looked at her, confused and eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you not believe me?"

"Of course I don't. Why should I? Besides, my grandmother will be out any minute, and unless you'd like an awkward meeting with her, I suggest you leave."

"I will _not_ until you tell me exactly why you would think I'm lying." Bowie let out a deep sigh, pulling her hat down over her eyebrows. She heard the door to the house opening and turned to Jareth.

"Stop by my apartment soon, and I will tell you why." He looked at her for a few seconds before he returned to his owl form, flying into the sky with her eyes still trailing on him as her grandmother stepped out of the old house for the last time.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fourteen

She was screaming, her back against the bathroom wall with one palm sliced open from the scissors she had been using. This, of course, wasn't how Bowie had expected to spend her Saturday night. In order to understand, however, the story needs to be told from the beginning.

Bowie and Ashley had gone out for the afternoon, shopping at art stores and music shops together - when Bowie had gotten home later that night, she was eager to test her new paints on a fresh canvas, as well as try a few new techniques.

While she had been painting in the middle of the living room, however, a thick glob of black paint had gotten stuck on the bottom of the tips of a section of hair. She didn't want to apply rubbing alcohol to her hair, and vouched instead to trim the paint out of her hair the best she could.

She mumbled swears under her breath as she walked into the bathroom with a pair of scissors, standing in front of the mirror as she started trimming. But, as she did so, she was surprised to see a small goblin sitting on top of the toilet with wide eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked, jumping around only to see that it wasn't there. It still appeared in the mirror, but not where it had been sitting - it was enough to make her scream in fear, and the goblin fell from its spot.

"I don't know how's I got here!" he said. "I's was last in the dungeons, then's I was here!"

During her state of shock, she had dropped the sharp scissors onto her palm hard enough to draw blood.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, holding the palm as blood flowed out.

"Hello!" A shrill voice pierced the air from her bedroom, followed by the sound of a dog barking and a low growl sound filling the room.

She stumbled out of the bathroom and into the separate room, her eyes met with a wild sight once she looked in the mirror - there was a giant hairy beast standing on the ground, its long ears hanging around its face and black horns spiralling out of its head. The other was more familiar - it was the little fox she had seen as a stuffed animal, only it was sitting on a dog this time.

"M'lady? Would you be so kind as to tell me where we are?" he asked, and Bowie's eyes went impossibly wide.

"This is not happening!" she said, shaking her head before tripping over the chair in her bedroom.

"Oh, m'lady, are you alright?" Bowie felt the back of her head with a groan, staying on the floor with her eyes shut tight.

"Ow," was the only response that came, and then she heard a shuffle.

"M'lady?" She opened one eye to see the fox leaning over her, and she let out a soft gasp before sitting up. She looked down at the animal, blinking as she did so with amazed eyes. "Do you have any idea how we might have come here?"

". . . I . . . I don't know." She looked down at the floor to see that drips of the blood from her hand had smeared across the floor. "I'm just as confused."

She stood up and wearily grabbed a rag from the bathroom, and when she turned around she noticed that the other creatures she had seen were now in her bedroom.

"Okay . . . so _everything_ my grandma said _was_ true . . ." she mumbled, then shook her head. "You're Sir Didymus, right?"

"Yes, and this is my noble steed Ambrosius. And my brethren right there is Ludo, and he is Hoggle."

"How's you know us?" Hoggle asked, looking at her accusingly. "I don't know you."

"Well . . . I'm Victoria Williams. Sarah is my grandmother, and she seems to know you-" She was interrupted by an array of different voices talking, voicing their opinions about Sarah.

"Sawah fwiend!"

"Oh, m'lady, what an honor to meet the descendent of Sarah!"

"You's shoulda said that!"

Her eyes flickered between each of them as she pressed the rag against her hand, looking at them all.

"She told me about you all," Bowie said with a small smile, looking around the room. "She talked highly of you."

"You look's a lot like her," Hoggle said. "But you's both are different."

"How so?"

"Well-"

"How did you all manage to leave the Underworld?" They all turned to see Jareth standing in the doorway, eyes squinted as he glared at the creatures. "You should not be here, and you know it!"

"Yer Majesty, we came here unexpectedly-"

"Hog-wash-"

"Hoggle," Bowie mumbled, and Jareth glanced at her before returning the stare back to the group.

" _Hoggle._ I placed you all in the dungeons for treason, meaning you should have never gotten out. I demand you all return back to the labyrinth right now, or a worse punishment is in store for each and every one of you." The dog began to shake and Bowie glared up at Jareth as they all disappeared back into the mirror, heading back towards the place they called home.

"You didn't have to be so cruel," Bowie said, standing up as she looked at her hand. "They really _did_ get here by accident."

"And they still disobeyed my orders." She put her hands on her hips, glaring up at him.

"That doesn't mean you have to step all over them, even if you are a king. You should treat your subjects with more respect." She paused, thinking. "You put them in the dungeons because of Sarah, didn't you?"

"That is none of your concern."

"That's wrong," Bowie mumbled, and walked past him to the living room. "So wrong."

He let out a scoff as he watched her sit down on the floor in front of her canvas, the rag still on her hand.

"What happened to your palm?" he asked, trying to change the subject before he turned completely cruel with his words.

"Nothing." She was still being hostile with him, he could tell, and he sighed before sitting down next to her.

"Let me see your palm." She kept a straight face before turning her palm towards him, and he looked it over before placing one of his hands over hers.  
"What're you-" A warm sensation passed through her arm and up her body, making her gasp in shock before pulling her hand away. She was surprised to see that the wound had completely healed with no scar. ". . . If that's supposed to make me forget about you being cruel, it's not working . . . but it's impressing."

He smirked at her before looking at the canvas, then at her hands as she picked up the paintbrush.

"Is there any specific reason you only paint in black and white?" he asked, watching as she began to paint. She shrugged, and her gaze seemed to sadden.

"I guess not." A silence settled over them for a few minutes with just the sound in the room being that of her paintbrush moving along the canvas.

"I'm still waiting on an explanation from yesterday." She looked up, then placed her brush down along with her canvas. She then shifted so that her whole body was facing him, her elbows resting against her knees.

"I'm sitting in my living room, in pajamas, with the Goblin King from a fantasy story that I didn't even know about for a long time, someone who I was told was absolutely cruel and heartless, who just asked why I didn't find myself believing him. I must be going insane, and this's just a dream to send me to a hospital."

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"This is most certainly _not_ a dream, and I demand an answer." She shook her head, then brought her eyes back up to look at him.

"Fine. I just don't agree with what you're saying, is all. I don't believe that those men were ogling at me, because I'm not beautiful."

There was a shift in the air, as well as a silence - then, Jareth's head tilted to the side.

"And why would this be?" he asked, and his face was void of any emotion.

"If you saw the world through my eyes, you would understand," came the reply, and then a sad glimpse was caught in their depth. "Besides, I don't tell people about my personal life until I know and trust them well enough. Maybe I'll tell you one day, but today isn't that day. So don't bug me about it, please."

"I will know soon," he said, then watched as she packed up her supplies. He glanced at the walls, at the pictures hanging there and of the paintings on the walls. He stood up and studied them while she put things away, humming to herself. "You have quite the talent if I do say so myself. I rather enjoy this painting of the man."

Bowie turned to see him looking at the portrait she had made of her father, and a sad smile came over her face.

"That's my dad," she said quietly.

"I see the resemblance," Jareth responded. "The same eyes. Why haven't I ever seen him around you?"

"Because, he's stationed overseas." She walked into the living room, crossing her arms as she looked at the painting. Jareth said no more, and Bowie was relieved that he left the subject alone. She sighed and looked at another painting next to it, then let out a small laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked, turning to follow her gaze.

"I've just wanted to go here for so long," she said, feeling the coarse surface of the painting of Versailles, "Ever since I was a girl, and my dad first told me about it. It's such a beautiful place, and full of history that I would love to explore."

"France, I presume?" Bowie nodded with a small smile, and Jareth watched her.

"Yeah. It's a place I plan to visit one day." The smile disappeared as she pulled her hand back, then shook her head. "Strange, isn't it?"

"What?"

"It's 11 at night, five days from Christmas, and I'm standing here with you."

"You've already said something similar to that."

"Oh. I didn't realize that." And in reality, she didn't - she was too caught up looking at his strange eyes, finding herself strangely attracted to them.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Fifteen

Bowie was completely mesmerized by his eyes - they were a crystal blue, with one eye much more different than the other. She couldn't stop looking at each one, contemplating which one she found more attractive. Bowie couldn't see their color, but she knew that they must have been beautiful."

"Is something the matter?" Jareth asked, noticing the glazed look her eyes held. Her eyes suddenly went a notch wider as she snapped back into reality, shaking her head slightly as she looked to the ground.

"You just have very interesting eyes," she admitted with a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

"Thank you, Ms. Williams."

"Victoria."

"Pardon?"

"Call me Victoria. Or Bowie - that's what I usually go by." He smirked at her as his eyes trailed along her face, turning around to look at the opposite wall and the paintings that hung there. "Tell me . . . what's the labyrinth really like in person?"

"Curious, aren't you?" She let out a small laugh, turning towards him with a smile.

"Yes, I am."

"Say your right words, and you will know." Bowie bit her lip as she looked down at her hands, then looked back up.

"I wish to see the underworld," she said, and Jareth was forced to oblige as he held out a hand to her. She looked at it for a few seconds before taking his hand, and suddenly her mind was in a whirl as her apartment began to spin in a flurry of motion. She closed her eyes to stop the dizziness she felt, her hand holding onto Jareth's tighter than before.

When the spinning eventually stopped, she opened her eyes and the floor seemed to tilt up and down, and the first step she took made her feel incredibly dizzy.

"Careful, now." Jareth rested a hand on her back, his hand still in hers as she closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"I'm alright - just dizzy." She removed her hand from his and reopened her eyes to look around, taking note of the high ceilings she was surrounded by, the old chipping murals that looked as if they had been painted centuries ago. "Where are we?"

"Just where you wished to be - Underground. In my palace." Bowie nodded and walked in-step with Jareth as he went down the hallway, hands interlocked behind his back while watching her.

"These murals are amazing," she said, feeling one of the walls. "They remind me of Michelangelo's work. Completely wonderful."

"I'm glad you agree." They walked all the way to the end of the hallway, entering the crumbled throne room where only two or three goblins lingered. They all looked up with wide eyes at Bowie, as if in shock to see a human in the castle. Bowie looked around with furrowed eyebrows and squinted eyes, noticing the dilapidated state of the palace.

"Can I ask why everything's so . . . so . . ."

"Ruined, perhaps?"

"I was trying to make it sound nicer." He let out a deep chuckle, strolling over to the window looking over the labyrinth, his chest dropping as he let out a sigh. Bowie's eyes looked over the labyrinth, now in ruins and quiet. Even then, her eyes filled with wonder. "It's interesting, though. I've never seen anything like this place - only in paintings."

"You should have seen it before everything became run-down."

"What happened, exactly?" Bowie asked, and turned to look at him with the sunlight illuminating part of her face. "If you don't mind answering."

"Because of your grandmother."

Bowie's eyes went wide as she turned to look back at the labyrinth, imagining her grandmother running through the labyrinth. When she didn't say anything, he continued talking.

"Everything became the ruins you see now after she defeated the labyrinth - for thousands of years, no one has set foot inside of the maze."

" _Thousands of years?_ But it's only been-"

"Sixty years _your_ time, Victoria. Time moves differently here."

"I can't believe it's been that long. It's hard to understand." She shook her head, looking at the area around the palace. "Is that a garden down there?"

"Yes, it is. Would you like to see it?" Bowie nodded and Jareth held out his arm, ready to lead her towards the mystical, lush garden. She took his arm gently with a small smile, a silence falling between them as he lead her from the castle to the garden. Once there, she looked over each flower - each unique flower, some she had never seen before.

"It's more beautiful than I thought," she said, touching the petals of a unique flower she spotted. Jareth smiled at the corner of his mouth before reaching down to a tulip plant, pulling off one of the flowers.

"For you - a pink tulip." Her eyebrows furrowed for a minute in thought as she took the flower, twirling it between her fingers.

"This place is amazing, even if it's mostly in ruins." She looked up at him. "It reminds me of Wonderland."

"Then you must be Alice." She let out a soft laugh.

"I've had that comparison before." She bounced on the heels of her feet, face thoughtful as she did so. "Look, Jareth, I like talking with you. But the thing is, I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about it because . . . well, my grandmother told me that you used to be cruel. And I'm afraid that you still are if you have those poor creatures locked away."

"What if I am cruel?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows as he tilted his chin up. "They are my subjects, and they are below me."

"I know that's how you feel, but . . . I don't believe a kingdom can be run if the king is cruel. I've always been told that, what comes around, goes back around, and I believe that if you don't stop being so mean, maybe it'll-"

"How many kingdoms have _you_ run, hm?" She stopped as he crossed his arms, looking down at the ground.

"None. Unless you prove me wrong, then I don't think I want to talk with you. I've dealt with people like you all my life, and I don't need to suffer through it again." He looked down at her, and for once she saw a glimpse of softness in his eyes. He looked as if he were thinking, battling two thoughts in his mind. Bowie waited with worry filling her eyes, anxious to know if he would take revenge on her for speaking her mind.

"I think it's time I took you home." He held up his arm and she sighed, placing her hand on it as the same spinning occurred once again.

Only this time, when she was back in her apartment just two minutes after she had left, Jareth was gone.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Sixteen

A week passed without action - Jareth had stopped following Bowie around, and not once did she catch a glimpse of him. Despite being saddened about his choice to choose cruelty over friendship, she accepted the choice and moved on with her life the best to her ability.

She couldn't be sad about it for long, however - she was with her grandmother in her apartment on Christmas Day, and it was by far the best thing she could want. Well, other than having her father home to celebrate with them. She hadn't heard from him for a few days, and despite being upset that he wasn't around she kept a smile on her face as she ate Christmas breakfast with her grandmother - homemade pancakes and strawberries Sarah had made before Bowie had even woken up. But, even when she was eating, her grandmother could still tell that something was wrong.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" she asked, setting her fork onto the table as she looked at her granddaughter with concern. "You aren't eating your pancakes. And I know you - you _love_ your pancakes!"

"I usually do, really," Bowie replied with a soft laugh, "It's just . . . I think I need to tell you something."

"Yes?" Bowie took a deep breath, recalling the words she had pieced together late the previous night.

"I spoke with the Goblin King. Not just once - a few different times. And he showed me the Underworld." Her grandmother's eyes went wide and she stood up quickly, breathing heavy.  
"Victoria Renea Williams! After what I told you, you still talked with him! Have you no idea the danger you've put yourself in!"

"Grandma, please, sit down!" She unwillingly obliged, arms crossed against her chest. "Look . . . he seemed so kind at first, and then I saw his cruelty. I told him that I didn't like it, and unless he proved he wasn't that . . . that I wouldn't talk with him anymore. That was a week ago, and I haven't heard from him. I really think that . . . that he chose cruelty."

Her grandmother let out a deep sigh, taking Bowie's hand in hers lightly.

"Victoria . . . I'm sorry that you make that choice. I'm proud of you, though, for keeping your morals straight - besides, you've finished your college career and it's time to move into the big world now! That's got to have you beaming with pride!"

"I guess so. I'm still waiting to hear about that job down at the art museum," she mumbled, but a small smile perked her lips. "And my art professor said he would still help me try to submit work to a gallery, despite college being done for me now. I still can't believe my request to graduate early was passed."

"They knew how hard you worked, and you had already met the requirements, sweetie. I know that you'll do absolutely wonderful things one day." Bowie nodded, then took a bite from her pancakes.

"Thanks, grandma. Oh, and I have your present in my bedroom! As soon as I'm done eating, I need to go get it."

"I have yours too, I just need to retrieve it from my suitcase." Bowie nodded and finished her pancakes fairly quickly before standing up to rush into her bedroom. She opened the top drawer of her dresser, eyes darting around the inside as she moved socks aside to pull out the newspaper-wrapped package for her grandmother.

". . . M'lady?" At the shrill voice, Bowie didn't scream - she knew the voice, and instead jumped with a quiet gasp. She looked up, nearly dropping the present as she saw the little fox sitting on her bed with Hoggle next to it, Ludo sitting on the floor. Bowie strode over to the bedroom door and quietly shut it, then turned back to the mirror to look at each of them.

"How'd you get here again?" she asked quietly, looking at them with wonder. "I thought that the Goblin King had you locked away in the dungeons."

"Funny thing is, you's see, he let us out," Hoggle said, and turned to the small metal box next to her bed. "Can I look at that?"

"Go for it," Bowie said with a shake of the head. "But . . . he really _let you go?_ "

She recalled what she had said in the garden about the creatures, about how they deserved to be let out from the dungeons.

"Yes, m'lady. We haven't the slightest clue as to why," Sir Didymus said while raising his scepter into the air and swinging it about. "The goblins told us that we were free to go. The first thing we all wanted to do was check up on our new friend."

"Victowia . . . fwiend!" Ludo said in a deep voice, and Bowie let out a quiet laugh.

"I . . . I'm just surprised. Maybe the king isn't as cruel as he once was." She said it more to herself as she sighed, watching as Hoggle snooped through her jewelry while letting out interested noises.

"He certainly seems different. I've never known him to release anyone from the dungeons! Oh, m'lady, it felt so nice to be free in the open air once more!"

"I'm sure it did." Hoggle looked up while fingering a bracelet she'd had since a young girl.

"The castle wasn't in ruins anymore. I's saw it with my own's eyes."  
"What do you mean?" Bowie asked with a raised eyebrow, head tilting over to the side.

"Things aren't as bad anymore - why, the goblins have even begun to rebuild their city! Then's the labyrinth isn't as out of control as before . . . strange things."

"I agree," Bowie said, and a smile came over her mouth. She let out a laugh involuntarily as she thought of the Goblin King, realizing that this was his way of showing that he wasn't all as cruel as he had been. "I'm glad I got to see you guys, but I have family in the other room, and . . . well . . . she'll be wondering where I am."

"Of course, m'lady. Should you need us, all you must do is call into the mirror for us."

"I'll keep that in mind. Goodbye." They all vanished and Bowie walked out of her bedroom, holding the present in her arms.

"Okay, grandma, I have your - grandma? Why is there a giant box in my living room? And how the _hell_ did you get it in here? And _where in the hell did you get it from?_ " Her eyes went wide as she took note of the large box wrapped in red sitting in her living room with her grandmother smiling as she stood next to it.

"Victoria, don't use that language. And why don't you open your present first, hm? I think it's something you'll enjoy." Bowie nodded, walking over to the box with a curious glint in her eyes. "Just open it."

Bowie started tearing away at the paper and the large bow on top of it, and her eyes were met with a cardboard box. She raised an eyebrow in suspicion as she chanced a glance at her smiling grandmother, and she quickly opened the flaps of the box to see something she wasn't expecting.

Bowie let out a surprised yell and turned, hands covering her mouth as sobs wracked her chest. Tears flowed heavily down her cheeks as, from inside the box, her father stood up still wearing his camouflage uniform and holding a bouquet of wildflowers.

He stepped out of the box with a smile on his face, and Bowie ran towards him before jumping into his arms, hugging him tightly as more tears fell.  
"Dad!" she cried as his arms tightened around her. "You didn't tell me you were coming home!"

"Me and your grandma decided to surprise you," he said. "I'll be home for a couple of days before I have to go back, but I figured that rather than spending it somewhere warm I'd rather be with my family."

She hugged tighter again, refusing to let go for a solid three minutes before he set her back onto the ground. He shook his head with a small, dry laugh.  
"You look so much different than when I last saw you - you've grown into a beautiful woman, Vic." He handed her the flowers and she held them tightly, before looking over at her grandmother.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me he was coming home!" she said, but smiled in happiness anyways. "But it was such a nice surprise."

"I knew you'd love that most for Christmas, as would I." She hugged her grandmother tightly as thanks before they all sat down on the couch, Bowie wiping her eyes as she sat between her grandmother and father.

"This is by far the most perfect Christmas ever." Her father let out a laugh as he glanced around her apartment, at the walls and the pictures that hung there. Then he noticed the portrait of himself.

"When did you paint that?" he asked, standing up to look at it better.

"About a year ago. It was something I wanted to paint, and something that I knew would hold raw feeling."

"It's amazing."

"Thanks, dad. That means a lot." And she sat back, her heart beaming with joy at the good things that had happened that morning, unaware of the owl sitting at the window of the kitchen, watching the family's exchange.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Seventeen

The next four days were spent with her father, strolling about the city and catching up on the time that both Bowie and her father had lost. The days seemed to pass by in what felt like minutes, however, and he was soon on the next plane back to where he was situated. The same thing that had happened the last time occurred once more - Bowie was left with an empty feeling in her heart, in a state of depression that kept her awake each night and caused her to lose more sleep.

Tonight was one of those nights where she lay in bed on her side, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. A tear slipped from her eye and she sat up, realizing that no sleep would come on that night either. She stretched and glanced at her alarm clock - it was nearly two in the morning, when the whole building was the most quiet save for a few residents on the top floors. She walked out of the dark bedroom and into the living room, pulling out her art supplies and deciding to make the most of her time.

Her newest oil painting was that of a woman - a woman sitting alone on a sidewalk as people simply passed, wearing torn clothes and holding a bottle of nearly empty alcohol in her hands. Her eyes were depressed and hollow, as if worn by the years she had spent on the streets trying to survive each day.

She began working on the background once more, adding gray tones to the windows to add more definition to the panels of each in layers. She had only just put on the first layer - a layer of medium, which helped to add more color to the paint - and had begun to place a thin layer of different shades of gray around the canvas. Her paintbrush was worn and the bristles were tangled, weary from the use they endured each day for at least an hour. She had owned the paintbrush since she first started college, and planned to keep it even when she could no longer use it. It was a piece of her, something that she held near and dear to her - just like the crystal Jareth had given her, which had found a hiding place in the squeaky floorboard in her bedroom.

While painting and humming to herself, she caught a glimpse of motion out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see what it was, only to see that nothing was in her immediate line of vision. She shrugged, turning back to her painting when she felt a light tap on the bottom of her heel. Bowie placed the canvas down with a heavy sigh and looked over to see a crystal ball sitting at her feet.

Bowie bit her lip as she tried to hide her smile, reaching for the crystal with a small laugh. She looked into the crystal with a finger lightly feeling the surface, drawing tiny circles on it as she glanced around the apartment for any sign of the king. She found none and looked back to the crystal before suddenly, it began to emit a glow, slowly morphing into something else. She watched with interest as the glow became more intense, then slowly died down to reveal a long paintbrush with a silver handle. She let out a pleased noise as she felt the handle, the cold surface slightly satisfying under her fingertips.

"I thought you might enjoy that." She turned to see Jareth looking at her and stood up, the smile still on her face.

"Thank you," she said, "I don't know what I should return to you this time. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well - perhaps one." Bowie tilted her head as if urging him to go on; he did. "Do you remember the murals in the castle?"

"Yes."

"Repairs have been made to the castle, but the murals are no longer as they once were - I would like you to paint them." Her eyes went wide and she let out a small laugh, surprising him.

"Really?" she asked. "I guess I can do that. But for now . . . I think we need to talk."

"Yes, we do." He sat down on the couch, and she sat next to him with her hands in her lap. "Ladies first, perhaps?"

"Well . . . I know what you did for my grandma's old friends - I know that you freed them. I'm sure that took a lot of pride from you-"

At his sultry look, she paused.

". . . It's true. Anyways, it proved to me that you aren't as bad as you seem to be. I think that you _do_ have cruelty in you, but also kindness." He didn't say anything - instead, he just kept his eyes trailed on the floor as he let out a deep sigh. "And from what I've seen so far, you're . . . you're holding a lot of emotions back."

"You're telling me who I am."

"I'm not trying to, okay? I just think that it's a breath of fresh air that you aren't who my grandma thought." He finally looked up at her and she sent him a small smile, her hand nearly touching his as she slowly moved it over. "By the way, I've heard that the labyrinth has been under construction, even before you said something about the murals."

"Yes. It is."

"I'm glad, and I'm sure that it'll look better than it did before. Will I get to see it when it's been completed?" He let out a chuckle with a shake of his head, and Bowie thought for a moment that he would say no.

"If you wish to."

"Thank you. And not just for that." He urged her to go on with a tilt of the head. "But . . . for proving me wrong about you. I've met quite a few people that have let me down, but you didn't. It's nice."

"You talk about people proving you wrong, and yet you haven't said how." Bowie sighed before her hand retreated back into her lap, and she shook her head.

"If you want the truth . . . alright," she said as she took a deep breath, "Some of my previous boyfriends haven't been the nicest when I thought they were, and girls from when I was a teenager were even worse."

Anger filled Jareth as he realized she meant that she had been bullied and abused, hurt with words and hands.

"Not everyone is as vile as those wretches." She let out a dry laugh.

"I feel so sorry for them." She looked up with glassy eyes and a sad smile. "Because they all never realized how much that hurt, and that I was already going through other things they didn't know about. I feel sorry for them because they still haven't changed their ways when I hear about them."

"If I were you, I wouldn't. I'd wish for them to suffer."

"They will one day. Like I said: what goes around, comes back around."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Eighteen

Ever since the night she spent talking with Jareth about the kindness he really _did_ harbor within, Bowie had been felt dangerous emotions that she was used to keeping under lock and key - she knew that she was taking a liking to the Goblin King, but not the kind she had asked for. It was the attraction she'd felt to the first love of her life, the one who had broken her heart into tiny pieces.

She spent most of her Sunday pacing the room, a hand cupped under her chin as she tried to sort out the emotions she felt - could it simply be she was attracted to the kindness he showed her? Possibly the mesmerizing eyes? Or maybe it was the fact that he was bad . . .

She shook her head, realizing that couldn't possibly be it. She knew this feeling - that familiar feeling - that spark of desire, that fantasy of being the one and only.

"What am I thinking . . ." she mumbled to herself before pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm such a fool. Please, me and him? We still have yet to be close friends, and I'm sure that he doesn't look at me that way . . . Or maybe I haven't been paying too close of attention . . ."

She stopped pacing as she realized that now she really _was_ fantasizing to make up for the harsh reality she was used to.

"Okay, I need a second opinion." She walked to the mirror in her bedroom and stood in front of it, eyes on her reflection. "Hoggle, you there? If so, I need to talk to you about something."

She waited with baited breath, then let it go after a minute of waiting.

"Great, another hoax . . ."

"That wasn't no hoax! You's just caught me _right_ in the middle of work!" She turned around to see Hoggle standing behind her with his short arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. "What's the matter? You's seem concerned."

"The truth is that I am." She bit her fingernail as she sat down on her desk, a worried look in her eyes. "Hoggle, how do _you_ feel about the Goblin King?"

"How's do _I_ feel?" He took a few steps forward, eyebrow raising. "He's cruel, and always gets my name wrong. He kept me's in the dungeons for years!"

Bowie physically flinched, turning around with a heavy sigh.

"I don't know about this," she mumbled while shaking her head, arms crossed.

"But he's let me go, and maybe he's changin'." She turned back around, looking at him with a confused facial expression. His changed also as he looked up at the young woman. ". . . Don't tell me you's actually like him."

"I don't know!" Bowie said with a groan, before standing up to pace the room once more. "I mean, yes, as a friend then I like him. But . . . But . . . Oh, it's stupid."

She jumped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to piece her thoughts together.

"Well . . . you's can't change your feelings."

"I know. But why do I have a feeling that this will end badly?" she asked, shaking her head. "This is how all of my relationships end."

"It's could. But it's couldn't, too." She glanced over at him with a sigh, before flipping over onto her stomach.

"Hoggle . . . tell me something about my grandma?"

"What?"

"Sarah. Tell me something about her." She rested her chin on her hands balled up into fists, her eyes focused on the goblin currently opening the jewelry box next to her bed once more. He looked over each piece of jewelry, letting out small noises of desire as he did so before he finally answered.

"Interesting girl, she's was. Similar to you's, but completely different for the most part." He stopped at an old necklace lifting it up. Bowie identified it as a plastic guitar pick on a chain, and she smiled at the wonder that filled the goblin's eyes.

"You can have it," she said suddenly, and he looked up at her.

"Really?"

"I never wear it, and you seem to be more interested in it than I am." He slowly tucked the necklace into an old pouch before looking up, around the rest of the room. He took note of the posters that hung on the walls, the paintings, the strange knickknacks. When he took note of the familiar music box that Sarah once owned as a teenager, his eyes went wide with memory.

"Oh, I's almost forgot!" he started digging around in the pockets of his pants, Bowie watching in confusion as he did so. He then pulled out a wrinkled envelope with 'Victoria Williams' scrawled on the surface in ink neatly, a seal of importance holding the two ends of the envelope together.

"What's this?" she asked once he'd handed it over to her. She flipped it over to study the red wax seal, taking note of the crest it had imprinted onto it. She painstakingly lifted it from the paper before opening it to look at the shimmering lettering within. She read over the letter once, and then read it again with squinted eyes. Then she looked up at the goblin standing there, the letter still in one hand. "A _ball?_ "

"Yes. Don't you's know what that is?"

"Yes, of course I do. But . . . a ball?" she asked, then shook her head. "I've never attended one of those. Especially a masquerade one. It's next week . . . well, I'm not doing anything, so I suppose I could go . . . wait, one guest?"

"That's what it says, don't it?"

"But . . . who could I bring? I mean, not too many people take to the whole fantasy idea."

"Then find someone's that does. It shouldn't be too difficult." Bowie nodded slowly, looking at the invitation.

"Who's hosting the ball?"

"The Goblin King, of course. To celebrate the new kingdom."

"New kingdom? Do you mean it's been completed so it's better than before?" Hoggle nodded, and Bowie smiled a little bit.

"Well, tell him that I accept the invitation, please. I'm looking forward to the ball."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Nineteen

A week seemed to pass by quickly - too quickly for Bowie's liking - and she found herself on Saturday night, staring at her closet as she realizing she had nothing to wear that would be suitable for a ball. Ashley was the same - although she was still in jeans and a shirt, simply believing that Bowie had asked her to come over to watch movies, not to attend a ball in a grand palace - and sat on the bed, watching Bowie as she skimmed through dresses.

"You know you don't have to dress up around me," Ashley said, looking at her nails before chipping at the red paint on some of them. "Or are you planning on going out?"

Bowie turned with a playful smirk on her face, nearly laughing as she thought about Ashley at the ball.

"Okay, so maybe I lied to you," she said, and Ashley raised an eyebrow, "But tonight we're going to a party."

Ashley let out a loud groan and held a hand over her eyes.

"Bowie, I _hate_ being social! You know that!" She flopped down on the bed while clothes were tossed across the room. "What if I get roofied?"

"It's not that kind of party. You know I don't care for those, too." Ashley suddenly sat back up and had confusion written all over her face.

"Then what kind?" She stood up with crossed arms, an irritated noise leaving her mouth. "Ugh, Bowie, I'm not in the mood for any parties. I'm in the mood for _The Tudors._ "

"Just trust me on this. But . . . I still don't know what to wear, and how to get there . . . This fucking blows." She plopped down on the bed, letting out a strangled growl. "I wonder if I have to call him."

". . . Call who? Wait, you shithead, did you forgot to _tell_ me something? Hm? Who's this _him_ you're talking about?" Bowie stood up and walked over to the mirror, looking at her reflection and the casual clothes that hung on her body. "Hey, you didn't answer me!"

A plastic clothes hanger went flying past Bowie's head, but she didn't notice as she caught a glimpse of Hoggle standing next to the bed, watching as Ashley went on and on about 'him'.

"Okay, Ashley . . . try not to flip," Bowie said, holding up her hands.

"Huh?"

"How's you's doing, Victoria?" Hoggle asked as he came into the room, looking up at her. Ashley let out a yelp as she flung herself against a wall, eyes widening.

"Is that a fucking gremlin?" she yelled, and Bowie shushed her as she stood in front of the goblin.

"No, Ashley! It's Hoggle. Remember that story grandma told us? Well . . . it's real. And this was one of her friends." Ashley looked skeptical as her eyes remained wide, but she shook her head nonetheless calmed down. "Anyways, Hoggle, I'm glad you're here. How am I supposed to get to the ball with Ashley? I don't know how."

"That's why I'm here." Bowie nodded slowly as Ashley scrunched her nose, front teeth nearly showing as she did so. "All you's have to do is take my hand."

He held it up and Bowie took it, grabbing Ashley by the shoulder before the dizziness occurred once more before they landed in the foyer of the palace. Bowie glanced around, noticing that everything seemed cheery, lighter - more goblins where running about the place, elaborate plants and tapestries hung from the walls, and the place where the murals had been seemed to be more put-together.

Ashley's eyes went wide as she looked around, head tilted before she spun with a laugh.

"This place is the bomb!" she exclaimed with a large smile. "Damn, you should've just said the party was gonna be at a palace. I would've gone so much more willingly."

"I should have . . . damn, why didn't I?" Bowie asked herself, then let out an airy chuckle under her breath. "Well, Hoggle . . . how do I look? Suitable for a . . . ball?"

She cringed as she spoke, noticing that she was still in her socks, jeans, and old t-shirt. Hoggle raised an eyebrow as he looked over the young woman, then let out a laugh.

"Jareth's given you's both rooms to prepare in, along with proper outfits. If you's follow those little goblins, they'll lead you there." Hoggle pointed in the direction of several little fuzzy goblins standing near the right side of the hallway, and Bowie nodded as she walked towards them with Ashley in tow.

"Thank you, Hoggle," she said, turning only to see that Hoggle was already gone. Bowie shrugged before walking up to the goblins. "Uh . . . hello. I'm Victoria and this is Ashley, we're here for the ball? Here's my invitation."

She handed the small envelope to the goblins, and as soon as they read what was written, two lead Bowie away while the others took Ashley in an opposite direction.

"Hey, Bowie!" Ashley cried, turning to look at her. "Is this a kidnapping?"

"I hope not - if it isn't, I'll see you later!" The goblins led her through the large castle, through hallways well-decorated and past large double doors before they stopped on one of the top floors where the doors had gold doorknobs. The goblins opened the door and Bowie looked around the room, noticing that it was a luxurious washroom. The floors were made of stone, the walls painted a light blue to match the towels sitting on the large vanity near an open window. In the center of the bathroom was a large bathtub, so large that Bowie was sure that five people would be able to fit in it. She gasped at the sheer size of the room before the goblins giggled.

"We'll help you get ready!" one of them said, running further into the room before grabbing a large silver box sitting on the vanity. "I'll hang this up."

"I'll run the bath!" The other said, turning on the taps along with other pumps holding different types of soaps. Bowie watched with a raised eyebrow before the one who had the duty of filling the tub tugged at her jeans. "Miss? You may undress now."

"What?" A flush came across her cheeks, her eyes widening in horror. "Oh . . . I can undress when you leave."

To her surprise, the goblins appeared to be offended and looked up at her.

"Are we not properly doing our duty?" one said while opening the box, standing on a stool. "Oh no, we will _surely_ be punished for-"

"No, no, I'm sorry! I guess I'll just . . ." She slowly undressed, gulping as she felt more exposed than ever before quickly getting into the tub to avoid any further attention from the goblins. She inhaled the deep scent of roses and let out a noise of pleasure, nearly sinking further into the tub with the relaxation she felt. It was short-lived, however, when a glint of silver caught her eye.

She looked towards the dress that the goblin was currently hanging, a gasp of surprise leaving her mouth. The dress was striking with beauty - although she couldn't make out the exact colors of the dress, she knew that it was a beautiful shade and decorated with jewels as well as silk, the top of the dress being a corset with straps around the shoulders and falling all the way to her elbows. The mask that went with the dress was in the same fashion, decorated with jewels and harboring two cat slits allowing the eyes to see.

"Wow . . ." Bowie said, shaking her head as she looked at the dress. "I've never seen a dress so . . . so . . . beautiful."

"You like it, then?"

"Of course!" The goblins giggled before jumping into the ledge of the tub, beckoning for Bowie to come closer. She swam towards them and felt their small hands running through her hair. She held still as she figured they were fixing and pinning the messy curls down, making them more socially acceptable. They finished fairly quickly before helping her out of the tub, quickly drying her off and helping her into the elegant dress.

Once it was on, Bowie felt the fabric pressed against her chest - she sighed in wonder, feeling entirely beautiful as she slipped on the heeled shoes one of the goblins set out in front of her. When she had put on her jewelry, the ball was just beginning and the chatter from the ballroom in the castle could be heard from the washroom.

"You look very lovely, miss."

"Thank you very much," replied Bowie, looking at the two of them gratefully before pacing towards the door. "I suppose all I have to do is follow the noise, right?"

"Of course."

With another smile, Bowie left the room with her hands holding up her dress, mask on her face, and followed the noise of the ball she was interested to see.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty

The ball was alive with monarchs and lords, each either dancing, lounging, or laughing to themselves. Each wore masks for the occasion - some were distorted with long noses, others similar to a feline, and a few had simple tracings along their faces. Jareth was among them - he wore a red velvet suit jacket decorated with jewels. His gloves were gray and tightly molded to his hands, the makeup around his eyes unseen from the black mask he had held to his face. His hair was streaked with red glitter, catching lighted candles from the chandelier overhead and the candles along each table. He walked about the room, greeting the occasional lord or lady, his eyes always watching out for the girl in the red silver dress.

He knew she was there as soon as the room quieted down, as if they were all staring at someone new entering the ball. His own gaze turned to greet the sight, and he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips as Bowie walked down the stairs with her hands holding up the bottom of her dress. Once at the bottom, she looked around as if lost before walking in the opposite direction of Jareth. He simply watched, deciding to leave her in waiting before confronting the strange girl.

Meanwhile, Bowie was wandering, trying to find any familiar face that she knew - finding none, she sighed before feeling a cold hand wrap around her arm.

"Holy fuck, Bowie, you look beautiful!" Ashley said, her eyes widened as she scanned over the girl. Bowie looked over her friend, not used to seeing her hair curled down her back or seeing her in anything other than jeans. Her mask was tied around her face, leaving her eyes exposed underneath. Her bright eyes full of life and excitement. "This is a party, _for sure_ \- I've already been asked to dance by this really hot guy!"

"I'm glad to say the same to you," Bowie said with a small laugh as she looked around the party. "I wonder where Jareth is."

"Who?"

"The Goblin King."

"So he _is_ real. Huh. Well, I've heard people mention him but I haven't seen him for myself. Oh, don't look now, but this insanely attractive guy is headed your way." Ashley's eyes flickered back and forth from Bowie's eyes to the man who was walking closer, through the crowd of dancing people. Ashley ducked away with a wink as she disappeared behind a crowd of ladies in ball gowns and masks, leaving Bowie to stand alone while scolding her best friend.

As the man came closer, however, Bowie took notice of him and examined his face. He wasn't wearing a mask - he simply had shimmering paint decorating his ice-colored eyes, travelling all the way down his chiseled cheekbones and reaching his chin. His skin was fairly pale as if he hadn't seen sunlight in weeks - despite that, however, he seemed to have a cold flow to him, from his boots all the way to his light hair. Bowie could smell mint rolling off of him in waves, strong enough to make her nearly sneeze.

"M'lady," he greeted, and Bowie took note of the soothing tone to his voice, the way his voice seemed to carry on the wind. He lifted Bowie's hand with his, and she gasped at the icy feeling that shot up her arm. He smiled at her, showing a line of sharp teeth. A shiver ran down her spine as he pressed his cold lips to the soft skin of her hand, and she was relieved when he finally pulled back from the greeting.

"Sir," Bowie said, subconsciously rubbing the place where he had kissed her hand.

"What is your name?"

"Victoria. Victoria Williams," she said with a small shiver as he seemed to make the air surrounding them colder. It was as if his skin were made of ice, as well as his eyes that focused down on her face.

"Beautiful Victoria, would you do me the honor of dancing?" he asked, holding out a hand again. She gulped lightly and he took note of the fear that crossed her eyes, but she accepted the offer as he led them to the dance floor. People moved aside, ladies shivered at the cold air, and the room seemed to go a decibel quieter as they noticed the man who was dancing with Bowie.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly, and noticed how her skin began to feel hot due to the coldness of his hand.

"King Mordecai, of the tundra."

 _That explains his coldness_ , she thought to herself, tempted to pull away from his embrace but too polite to do so.

"Interesting."

"Just as you." He pulled her closer by the waist so their faces were merely inches apart. A red flush erupted on her cheeks as her eyes went wide, a small gasp leaving her lips as her body began to involuntarily shiver. "I caught a glimpse of you when you first walked in, my darling. I must say, I've never seen a human quite as beautiful as you."

"Oh . . . that's nice."

"I would be most delighted to take you as my wife."

 _Is this fucking guy serious?_ She took a step back with a raised eyebrow, and he watched her with tactical eyes. She looked around at the guests in the palace, but none of them seemed to have heard his request.

"Uh . . . _excuse me_? We've only talked for five minutes and you want to marry me? I'm sorry, but no." Suddenly his eyebrows furrowed and he let out a grunt before taking Bowie by the wrist tightly, and she noticed little snowflakes settling on her skin.

"You dare question my-"

"King Mordecai. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Bowie jumped and turned to see Jareth standing there, and knew it was him despite the mask covering half of his face. Jareth's eyes appeared to be squinted, and his arms were crossed over his chest. Mordecai straightened up, chin slowly moving up as he released Bowie's wrist.

"Of course."

"I apologize for stepping in, but I would rather enjoy asking my queen to dance." Bowie's eyes went even more wide as she looked at Jareth, and she noticed the rage that filled Mordecai's eyes as he looked between the two.

"Your _queen?_ "

"Yes." Bowie barely noticed the wink he sent her from the corner of his eye. "Of course. This ball was held in her honor, and the honor of this kingdom. If you excuse us . . ."

Jareth held out an arm and Bowie gratefully took it as he walked past the crowd, leaving the icy king alone.

"When did _I_ become your queen?" Bowie asked once they reached a secluded corner of the ballroom.

"If you didn't notice, I told a lie in order for you to escape his grasp. Lucky I did." He glanced down at her wrist, reddened from the cold that had once been there. "What did he say to you?"

"He asked me to be his queen," Bowie said in disgust. "I haven't even known him five minutes. Besides, something seems . . . wrong. With him."

"You aren't wrong - he's not quite an allie of the kingdom." At Bowie's confused look, he continued on. "He was caught years ago spying on the kingdom, sending in fake goblins to find secrets to take the kingdom down. I don't quite know how he ended up at this party in the first place. Speaking of which . . . have you enjoyed this party?"

"I have," Bowie replied, and recalled Jareth saying she was his queen. In honesty, she didn't mind the title being acquainted with him. "Thanks for this dress, too. It's pretty."

"It looks very beautiful on you," Jareth complimented, and Bowie smiled at the ground with a laugh. "Perhaps we should dance? To prove to King Mordecai that you're the queen."

He smiled mischievously and Bowie laughed more before nodding, allowing him to escort her out to the center of the ballroom. She looked up at him as the soft, melodious music seemed to play a tune that appeared familiar to her. It was then that she noticed it was the same music she had heard in play in her grandmother's music box, which she had played over and over one sleepless night.

"I recognize the melody," Bowie said as she felt one of his arms reach the small of her back, the other landing in one of the hands. She lifted her arms with ease to dance with him, one on his shoulder as they danced to the music.

"I knew you would." She raised an eyebrow as he smirked from the corner of his mouth, spinning her around to the sound of the music. Bowie felt much more comfortable than she did with Mordecai - he had been so cold that she couldn't find herself dancing well, and not just because he had been an attractive man who had to be ten years older than her. Possibly more.

"How?" she asked, completely focused on his eyes. She almost couldn't keep the smile off her face as she looked up at him.

"I played it a very long time ago, for your grandmother. She didn't seem to enjoy it as much as you."

"I guess we're both different," Bowie replied, suddenly saddened by the fact that it was the music he had played for her grandmother. She shook away the feeling, however, deciding to instead live in the moment she still had with him. "Maybe that's what makes me enjoy her company so much more."

"I see." They broke apart at the closing of the song, but Jareth didn't let go of her hand quite yet. Instead, he scanned the crowd until he spotted Ashley laughing with another group of girls of a similar age. "I don't believe you've introduced me to your friend."

"Ashley?" Bowie turned and looked over at her, then back to Jareth. "Oh, I haven't."

She guided him to the group, walking past couples still dancing until they reached the table by which they were sitting. Ashley instantly noticed Bowie and stood up, apologizing to the girls as she ran over.

"This is one hella raging party, and by far the best I've been to. That's a lot coming from me, because you know how much I loved that one party when I was 15 and -" She stopped, noticing the amused look on Jareth's face. ". . . This is the Goblin King, isn't it?"

"Yep."

"A-A-And I just completely spilled out a little bit too much, didn't I?"

"Yep."

". . . And just made myself sound like trash for using the phrase 'hella raging'?"

"Hm . . ." Bowie pressed a finger to her chin as if in deep thought, eyes looking at the ceiling while Ashley scoffed.

"Hey, I'm not afraid to smack you," she said, and Jareth was surprised at the violent nature of the girl. Bowie, however, just rolled her eyes as she let go of Jareth's arm.

"Got it, Ashley. But yes, this is who I told you about." Ashley smiled sheepishly with a small laugh, then shook her head as she looked back up at Jareth.

"That's me." She let out a soft laugh before Jareth turned to look at Bowie.

"Perhaps you and your friend would enjoy a walk through the garden?" He asked, and Ashley looked between the two for a few seconds.

"Actually-" The attention was turned to Ashley, "I was thinking that I'd talk more with, you know, these lovely ladies. They're very chippy. Kinda cooky. You two can just take a walk and I'll chill here. Jareth didn't notice the sideways wink Ashley sent Bowie as they walked away towards the garden, enjoying the rest of the night.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-One

The day after the ball was a long, lazy one for both Bowie and Ashley - as soon as they returned back to her apartment, still in their gowns, they collapsed on her bed to sleep for hours before awakening in the late morning. Their dresses now on hangers pushed to the back of Bowie's closet, the girls vouched to wear comfy clothes the next day. And, one month later to be exact, they were in the same situation- Ashley wore a pair of jeans with a baggy _Rocky Horror Picture Show_ shirt, and soft shoes. Bowie was wearing black leggings with her favorite David Bowie shirt, and tall boots. Ashley lounged on the couch with her feet sprawled out, a textbook on her lap as well as a notebook and blue pen. Bowie, meanwhile, had several stacks of paper laid about with her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at each one. Ashley took notice at the quietness of her friend, then sighed as she shut her book.

"You know, staring at that paper isn't going to make it change." Bowie looked up, past Ashley at the David Bowie poster.

"Sorry . . . sorry . . . it's just that . . . you know, today's Valentine's Day. And I can't believe it's already been three months since everything started, you know?" Bowie replied, pushing the papers together into one large stack. "I'm obviously not getting any job hunting done."

"Sorry, dude . . . have you talked to your boyfriend lately? Maybe he'll get you some flowers." Bowie glared at Ashley, who had a large smile on her face.

"We aren't _dating_ , Ashley. But . . . yes. We talked last week for a little bit." Ashley let out a small 'hmph' noise as she held a finger to her chin.

"Okay, then explain the awkward flirting I've endured since then." It was true - if Jareth were to stop by when Ashley was around, he and Bowie always appeared to flirt with each other. Sometimes it was subtle, other times . . . not so much. Ashley once made gagging noises around the two of them to get her point across. When Bowie didn't respond, Ashley continued on. "I can tell you really like him, Victoria."

 _Oh shit_ , Bowie thought as her stomach dropped, _she_ actually _used my real name._

"So, tell me - do you?" Bowie stood up, walking towards the music player in the kitchen to change the song. When she came back, she was biting her lip with bewildered eyes.

"I think I do. I mean, I've known him for three months, that's long enough to decide if you like someone . . . right?" Bowie asked, and then plopped down on the couch next to Ashley. "I don't know . . . I haven't had a boyfriend since I was in high school."

"You didn't tell me you've had past lovers!" Ashley said, eyes going wide. "How many?"

"Just two. One was really nice, and the other was an asshole."

". . . Did you do it with them?"

"Ashley!" Bowie tossed a pillow at her, making a laugh erupt from the girl. "Of course not! I mean, I've been close, but - hey, don't give me that look!"

"What? What look?"

"Oh, you _know_ what look! The one where you think I'm Miss Innocent and that I've never had a sexual experience in my whole life!"

"I'm just shocked! I didn't know you were secretly kinky."

"Okay, that's just taking it too far." Ashley's lips pulled up and her eyes became squinted from the smile, and Bowie exhaled a deep breath. "Am I annoying you?"

"I'm not afraid to push you off my couch!" Ashley held up her hands in defense with a strange noise from the back of her throat.

"Okay, okay. Whatever." There was a knock at the door and both girls looked at each other with noises of agitation.

"You get it."

"Hey, you live here! How about no?" Bowie let out a groan as she stood, walking to the door before opening a crack, due to the locks. When she noticed the icy blue eyes and the cold that settled over the apartment, she paled significantly.

". . . How did you find me?" she asked, eyes widening in fear as he let out a dangerous chuckle. He looked down at his hand, finding interest in one of the long fingernails he harbored.

"I do not enjoy being lied to, Victoria. By you, or the fool of a king you call Jareth." Bowie's heart dropped and she heard Ashley shift from her place on the couch, ready to run. "Come with me."

"No." Bowie slammed the door shut before running into the kitchen, grabbing a frying pan before running into the bedroom with Ashley right on her heels.

"Who the fuck is that?" she asked in a shrill voice, letting out a small yelp as she heard the sound of a door being beat down. "Whoever the hell it is wants to make a goddamn entrance!"

"Ashley, now is not the time for jokes!" Both girls screamed as the door to the bedroom flew off the hinges, landing on the floor with a loud thud. Bowie held the pan out threateningly, ready to swing if need be. Mordecai let out a cold laugh, using one hand to knock it away from her.

"You really think something as petty as that will stop me?" She glared at him as he closed in on the girls, pushing them into a corner. Bowie's eyes landed on the ceramic statue of Jareth sitting on the dresser next to them, and decided to be brave by grabbing it, smashing it over his head. To her horror, he didn't even flinch at the contact.

"Nice try, my future queen." He glanced over at the wall where her things were, then summoned the pan into his hand with the power of telekinesis. Bowie watched, the only noise in the room being that of Ashley's shaky breathing, and the last thing Bowie saw before darkness was the pan coming down to land on her head.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Two

They were all sitting in the throne room when Mordecai returned to the Underworld - Jareth was kept against one wall with two slick ice cuffs around his wrists, keeping him in place against the wall. Hoggle and Sir Didymus were surrounded by jagged crystals, while Ludo and Ambrosius were surrounded by bars too cold for the hands to touch. They were all silent, recalling the events that had plagued the kingdom.

It was in the middle of night, when the kingdom was the most quiet and undisturbed - most of the goblins had gone to bed and some were guarding the kingdom when they noticed the coldness that settled over the air, the strange silence the air had taken. When the ice king's army appeared in the distance, the battle began - goblins against icy beings with swords, King Mordecai gloating as he walked up the steps to the palace once past the battle where Jareth's goblins were slowly weakening. It was then that he took Jareth hostage as well as the animals who were around the castle, and Hoggle, with intentions to kill them. He had left some of his army in the throne room to make sure they wouldn't escape, and he had left. That was hours ago.

In the early hours of the morning, however, Jareth was the first to notice the sound of approaching footsteps - two sets. His head perked up from its spot against the wall as he took notice of Mordecai walking into the throne room, Ashley in cuffs of her own behind him and Bowie slung over one shoulder, eyes shut tight and a large bruise on her temple.

Jareth's eyes narrowed.

"What did you do to her?" he asked, his voice full of anger as he balled his fists.

"Oh, this one?" He threw her down on the ground, making her body land with a sickening _thunk!_ as it hit the floor. Her head rolled to the side as her eyebrows knitted together, a small groan leaving her lips. "She fought, and I did not like that one bit."

Jareth pulled against the cuffs - he stopped, however, once he felt his hands become frozen from the cold radiating from them.

"I'm the one you are fighting, no? Why must you bring these humans along?" Jareth asked, his voice surprisingly calm as he glared into the blue eyes of Mordecai. "They have no special abilities."

"Wow, thanks," Ashley mumbled under her breath, looking down at the chains as if contemplating her escape. Jareth's eyes flickered back to her, then to Mordecai.

"Well?"

"I have special intentions for this one." He looked down at Bowie with an almost loving gaze, making Jareth feel ill to his stomach as he pictured her in his arms. " _Very_ special intentions. As for _you_ -"

He crossed the room, lifting a finger as he made Jareth stand unwillingly. " _You_ lied to me, as did she. Therefore, you must be punished."

"Really? What kind of punishment?" Ashley said with a snort. "Gonna freeze us in ice and throw us into another Ice Age?"

Jareth had a strong urge to hit the girl upside the head as he turned with a chuckle.

"I believe the death penalty is more in order. Speaking of which . . . I'll start with you." He took a few paces forward, but stopped as he felt a hand reach out to grab the bottom of his boot. When he looked down, he realized that Bowie had awoken and heard everything - that now she was trying to stop him.

"Give her a chance," Bowie said, and she looked back at Ashley whose eyes were wide. "Give her a chance to live. Give everyone a chance to live, and a chance for me to not marry you."

"Now where's the fun in that, darling?" Mordecai asked, lowering down to lift Bowie into a standing position. He lifted a hand to her face and she turned slightly, Jareth shifting in his spot as he watched the exchange.

"Well . . . maybe I know something that would be even more fun," Bowie said, and Jareth sent her a questioning look as she bit her lip. He couldn't believe the next words that came out of her mouth. "Let us complete the labyrinth in a weeks' time, reach the palace, and you can kill them and . . . and . . . marry me."

She was disgusted by the words that rolled off her tongue, but Mordecai looked thoughtful as he recalled the words she had said. He finally crossed the threshold to the large window overlooking the labyrinth, humming to himself as he did so.

"The labyrinth, you say?" he asked, finally turning. "Hm . . . seems too easy."

"How so?" Bowie questioned with anger in her voice. He turned to look at her before extending a hand in the direction of the labyrinth, watching as a thick layer of ice covered every little piece of the large maze. The forest became colder, less inviting as well as more dangerous than it had been. Bowie cursed under her breath, as well as Jareth. "That's not _fair!_ "

Jareth felt a shiver travel down his spine as he realized the words sounded quite similar to Sarah's years ago, tone of voice and everything.

"Life isn't fair, darling. Neither am I." He turned to the others, looking over each frightened face. "One week in the labyrinth for Victoria Williams's freedom, as well as your will to live. All of you. And, if completed in time, I will leave the palace unharmed and leave in a civil manner. Now, darling, we must bind the deal to make it official."

"How?" Bowie asked, crossing her arms. He smirked as he looked her over, taking two steps closer to her.

"We must kiss."

"Tough luck," Ashley sneered from behind them. "Don't do it, Bowie. It's not worth it."

"Sh!" Hoggle said, jumping a few inches in the air. "You's might want to die, but I don't!"

Ashley shut her mouth and Bowie sighed deeply, her face full of disgust as he looked at her. Jareth's glare was heated enough to melt the ice that surrounded Mordecai's heart. He was surprised he felt so jealous as he watched Mordecai press his lips onto Bowie's, watching as he continued the kiss for much longer than needed. He didn't enjoy the scene in front of him at all, even when they broke apart and the ice was removed from his wrists.

Suddenly, they were all at the entrance of the labyrinth, the bricks covered with ice and the wind making their shoulders shake. Bowie looked at Mordecai expectantly as her arms tightened around her body, hands cold from the snow that had started to fall from the sky.

"I wish you the best of luck, my queen." He sent her one more smirk before he disappeared, leaving the group alone to solve the maze.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Everyone was quiet as they stared at the icy wasteland before them - the labyrinth which they were to defeat in a weeks' time, the labyrinth which was no longer how it had once been many years ago. Although it had been rebuilt recently, the ice had taken its toll, cracking the stone underneath and even going so far as to coat sections of the maze with ice so thick it was impassable.

No one breathed for what seemed to be a whole minute before Ashley spoke up.

"How do we get in?" she asked quietly, her voice weak as she looked at the high walls before her. "With all this ice, is it even possible?"

Bowie glanced around before stepping forward, running her fingers over the slick coating. She pulled back after a few seconds, when the cool sensation turned into burning. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the ice, and felt guilty for landing them in the situation they found themselves in.

"Yes." Jareth stepped past them, walking up to the wall and running a gloved hand down the surface where Bowie had just seconds before. He moved to the right, then stopped, and moved to the left before pausing a few yards away from them. "It's right here."

All eyes turned to the place where he was standing - the entrance, covered in a thick layer of ice that seemed impossible to move through. Hoggle let out a strangled, angry noise.

"We might as well give up now!" he shouted, stomping his foot as he turned. "We's can't get through!"

"Be silent," Jareth said, turning to glare at the goblin before turning back to the ice. Hoggle went quiet, and Sir Didymus shifted as he made his way to stand next to Ludo, who was admiring the icicles hanging from the tree. "We will find a way through. It may take time, but you must be patient."

"Well, I's is gonna go find an entrance myself!" Hoggle, said, jamming a thumb towards himself.

"Wait, don't go!" Bowie replied, stepping in front of him as he made to leave. He stomped his foot, glaring up at her.

"And why's not?"

"Because. . ." She paused for a minute, looking at the group. "We need to stick together. If we separate, then there's a greater chance that one of us will . . . well . . . die."

He let out a strangled noise before stepping back to the group, looking at the wall.

"How're we supposed to get through?" Ashley asked. "I mean, it's literally-"

While she stepped towards the wall, her feet went flying into the air and she landed loudly on her back with a small yelp, then a groan of pain. Bowie was at her side immediately, helping her friend up.

"Are you alright, m'lady?" Sir Didymus asked, noticing the cracked ice that was under Ashley's feet.

"Peachy."

"At least you got ice on it right away." Ashley turned to glare at Bowie with her mouth opened, ready with a retort, but it was interrupted by the sound of more ice cracking from the place where Ashley had fallen. The cracks continued to spiral from the area, making their way towards the wall.

Jareth took a step back, pushing Bowie and Ashley behind him.

"Stay back," he commanded as the others moved away as the ice began to fall from the wall in large chunks, some making the ground vibrate with each collision before smaller chunks fell, and all that was left was a thin layer of ice over the door.

"Well . . . I guess that fall was for the best," Bowie said, watching as the doors slowly began to open. "Your clumsiness actually helped us."

Ashley let out a mumble before brushing off her jacket, then letting out a shiver.

"Hey, Goblin King? Any way we can get some warm coats?" She asked, rubbing her arms. "It's freezing out."

"I'll see what I can do after we are in the labyrinth." He turned back to look at the entrance, then turned to Hoggle. "After you."

"Why's me? What if I gets hurt?"

"Oh, well." Hoggle grumbled before taking a few cautious steps forward, and with everyone holding their breath . . . took the first step through the entrance. Nothing happened - the ice remained glazed over the bricks, the wind howling in the distance and sending shivers down Bowie's spine. She looked around and hugged her arms around herself, lower jaw trembling as they began to make their way into the labyrinth.

Jareth was the last to enter, following after Bowie a little too closely - she only noticed when she paused outside of the entrance and felt his chest against her back.

"Sorry," she mumbled, jumping around to look up at him. His lips curled up into a smirk.

"Apology accepted, my dear." Then he raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. "Are you cold?"

"A little." He let out a soft sigh before looking at the towering walls, then back down to the slightly shorter girl, and then said quietly, "I suppose I could use magic. I can't promise results, however – it seems that Mordecai has taken some of my abilities away."

". . . Like what?" Bowie asked softly, snowflakes landing on her long lashes. She tightened her arms and tucked her hands into her armpits.

"The memory of the quickest routes to the labyrinth," he whispered, "And the ability to get there quickly."

"And why can't the others know?" Bowie herself noticed the shift in the air, how Jareth spoke only to her and in the quietest voice her could manage.

"Because, I am their king and any sign of weakness makes them believe me to be vulnerable."

"No, it doesn't. Weakness is a sign that you're like them." Jareth tilted his head at the girl.

"I am."

"They're alive, and they have feelings just as you and I do. They might be a different species, but Hoggle, for example, has the same characteristics as you. You can't tell me that makes you superior."

"Interesting proposition." At that, he brushed past her to lead the group down the long path of the labyrinth. "Perhaps we should turn the corner here."

"There is no corner, dude," Ashley replied, staring at the wall blankly. "It's flat."

"You forget that not everything here is what it may seem to be," Jareth replied with a small smirk, then stepped forward to the wall. He stepped to the right and created an optical illusion that made it look as if he was stuck in the wall. Ashley gawked at the scene.

"Whoa." Another gust of wind blew up and she shivered, and Bowie finally collapsed from the lack of body heat she was getting. "Shit, Tori, you okay?"

"I'm fine – it's just freezing out," came the response, and Bowie stood on shaky legs. Jareth turned to look back, then held out a crystal ball to her.

"Take it." She did, and before she knew what was happening the glass faded away and expanded into a wool coat. Almost instantly she placed it over her shoulders and felt warmth begin to circulate through her body once again.

"Thank you." Jareth gave a slight nod, then handed one to Ashley and hastily gave one to Hoggle. He himself conjured a coat to keep warm, then turned to look at the group.

"We might as well begin our journey."


	25. Chapter 25

"You just _had_ to befriend that weird painter, didn't you? Well, dumbass, look where you are now - in a whole other land. Angry or impressed? Fuck, it's a mix of both," Ashley mumbled to herself from the back of the group, following behind Hoggle. Bowie was walking alongside Jareth, who was examining the walls of his labyrinth closely.

"M'lady, you have much to say," Sir Didymus said and turned to look at Ashley. Bowie turned as well. "You are quite the interesting human."

"I take that as a compliment." Ashley sent Bowie a small smile and a wink, and Bowie rolled her eyes. She slowed down until she was walking alongside Bowie. "Hey, your stalker is a psycho."

"You're just now realizing that?" Bowie replied in turn, secretly hoping that Mordecai had heard her. Jareth smirked as he listened in on the conversation.

"Well, I'm just saying. Smartass."

"Stop." Jareth held up a hand and everyone was quiet. His eyes darted around the walls of the labyrinth. He took a step towards one, then stepped back in haste. "Of course - the entrances here are solid ice as well."

"Really? So we're stuck here?" Ashley asked with a small groan.

"I don't think so. Ludo, can you do me a favor?" Bowie asked sweetly, and Ludo walked over. Everyone watched as she climbed onto his shoulders.

Across the labyrinth she could see ice covering the stones, the forests - some of the paths were blocked with ice while others hadn't even been touched. The main thing she searched for was another way into the labyrinth, but she found none.

"The only way is to break the ice somehow," she said after a few seconds of contemplation. "Any ideas?"

"Ludo, my brother, summon the rocks!"

Ashley and Bowie shared a look of confusion, before Ludo let out a long bellow that shook the ground. Bowie let out a yelp and moved to stand on top of the wall, looking down at them. There was a rumbling in the distance before a series of rocks came tumbling towards them. Ashley pushed herself against a wall as the rocks turned where she was, and seemingly went through the wall. There was the sound of ice cracking and chips went flying into the labyrinth.

"Impressive," she said, smiling. "You know, I would've never guessed-"

"'Ello!" A chippy voice said, and Ashley was suddenly jumping from the wall. She screamed and looked back at the wall. Bowie hunched down to see what had talked, but the only thing she could see was a blue caterpillar wearing a red scarf.

"Did that caterpillar just talk?" Bowie asked, and her smile widened.

"Get it away from me!"

"That's rude of you!" the caterpillar said, and let out a strong scoff. "I've never done anything to you."

"It's adorable!" Bowie replied, and jumped down from the wall to land on the ground. She lowered down to his level and smiled. "Hi."

"Would you like to come inside, meet the Mrs.?"

"I would love to, but I don't have the time. Maybe some other time, yes?" The caterpillar did a small nod and Bowie stood straighter. Ashley still looked panicked, and Hoggle was side-eyeing the girl in disapproval. "Well, shall we?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ashley mumbled, and was the first to enter the new section of labyrinth. "This place is going to kill me."

"Jareth, left or right?" Bowie asked, noticing the two different ways the path diverged. Jareth stood next to the girl and examined them as well. She tilted her head to the side.

"Left," he said without hesitation, nodding in the direction. "In the past, it lead to a small garden full of life."

"Not like the first with the Fiery's?" Hoggle asked with fear in his voice.

"Of course not. We must find the area before night falls in three hours."


	26. Chapter 26

If there was one thing Bowie loved about her closest friend, it was her love for food - Ashley, who had her back pockets full of snacks when Mordecai brought them to the labyrinth, was always known to carry food with her. Bowie was currently munching on a protein bar as they walked through the maze, some muttering when they nearly slipped on the ice and others accepting their fate as they fell. When two hours had passed, night was beginning to fall and the air was getting colder with each minute. Ashley's teeth were chattering as she kept her arms furrowed deep in her coat, and she was lingering closely to Ludo whose body heat was radiating around the group.

When they had reached an opening of land, Hoggle proposed they stay for the night and build a fire for warmth. Jareth protested, of course saying that it would be better to move along, but Bowie coaxed him into agreeing with the goblin.

The opening of land was originally made of stone bricks with plants surrounding the circular court. Now, the plants were under a thick layer of ice and snow, and the stones were covered in snow as well. Ashley cleared out a large area in the middle of the courtyard, and Hoggle gathered sticks for the fire. Bowie helped by clearing out small areas for everyone to rest throughout the night without worrying about being buried in snow, and also gathered sticks that she found around the area. When Hoggle had started a fire and the snow in the surrounding area began to melt, everyone settled down.

Bowie stopped by a rose bush and stared down at the flowers covered in a thick layer of ice, and wondered how beautiful they would look in the sunlight. They had an ethereal beauty surrounding them - almost a golden glow, with perfect petals that still appeared vibrant under the cold. It was as if they refused to give up, no matter the weather.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Bowie sighed, and ran the tips of her fingers over the ice.

"I can only imagine," she responded, and looked back at Jareth, "how they would look in the sunlight."

"They were specially planted by my sister when she was still alive. She always loved flowers." Bowie arched an eyebrow curiously and watched Jareth as he examined the flowers himself. "We used to be close at one time. She was married off to a king far, far away, and I was told she was poisoned around the time I took the throne."

"I'm sorry," Bowie replied, shaking her head.

"Why apologize? It is not your fault."

"I know it's not. I just know how it can feel to lose someone important." She thought about her father. Her mother. She thought about both, and how she grew up without them for most of her life.

"I see." Jareth sighed, then plucked one of the roses from the bush. "I've always loved the colors of these roses."

"I can't see them," Bowie simply said. Jareth looked at her in confusion. "I'm sure they're beautiful, though."

"They're purple. Can't you tell?" Bowie hesitated, and then looked at her hands, back at the bush, and up to his eyes.

"I can't, because I'm colorblind. I can only see blacks and whites, and shades in-between," she admitted shamefully. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"All this time?" Bowie nodded. "I seem to finally understand why your paintings are devoid of color."

"It's easier for me to see what I'm doing that way. I don't want to use colors that won't look right together." Jareth cocked an eyebrow in interest, nodding all the while.

"So you do not know what colors are?" Bowie shook her head.

"No clue. None at all." She smiled softly and Jareth sighed, running his index finger over the petals. He then plucked one of the flowers from the bush and held it out to Bowie.

"Take it," he whispered, "It may come in handy."

She smiled softly and took the rose, twirling it in her hands.

"We should get back to the group." She went to walk away, then paused. She reached up to her ear and removed one of her earrings, a shiny diamond encased with silver. "Here."

"No, I can't take that." Bowie pursed her lips, then reached for one of Jareth's hands. She turned it over and placed it into his palm, and used her fingers to make his hand close around it. She smiled again before walking towards the group, situating herself in front of the fire. Ashley nodded her way as she sat.

"Your stalker really needs to lessen the stakes here," Ashley said. "It's so cold. You'd think we're still in Chicago, huh?"

"In what?" Hoggle asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Chicago. It's the city where me and Bowie live," Ashley explained.

"Bowie's such a strange name," Hoggle said, meeting Bowie's gaze. "I'd rather call you something else."

"You will call her by whatever name she wishes." Jareth sat down on the ground next to Bowie as Hoggle glared at him.

"You can always call me Victoria," Bowie replied. "Bowie's just a nickname."

"Alright, Victoria." Hoggle pulled his coat tighter around him, and moved closer to Ludo. "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep."

"Ugh, same here," Ashley added, sliding along the ground until she was next to Ludo. She cuddled up into his chest and muttered about how he felt like a giant fuzzy pillow. Ambrosius and Sir Didymus cuddled up to Ashley as well, leaving Bowie and Jareth next to the fire.

"Do you really think that we . . . we'll get past Mordecai?" Bowie asked, hesitation on her lips. "I don't know if I can."

"We don't have a choice in the matter. I know you can do it, and it's time you believed it as well," Jareth replied, watching as Bowie curled up on the ground with snowflakes landing in her hair.

"Either way, I'm not letting Ashley or you or anybody die because of me," she muttered under her breath. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Jareth said nothing - only looked at the girl, shivering on the ground.

"Are you still cold?" he asked.

"A little. But I'll be fine." He sighed, then laid down on the ground as well.

"You are always welcome to lay close to me."

"What?"

"Share the warmth." Bowie looked across the fire at Ludo and the others, asleep as they huddled together. She knew she could easily stand and join them, but found herself wanting to be closer to Jareth. She knew he would keep her warm, just as much as they would.

She slid over next to him, back to his chest. He didn't push his luck and kept a foot from her, just enough so that she would still stay warm.

"May I ask a question?" Jareth asked quietly, right in her ear. She ignored the shivering down her spine.

"Of course."

"Why is it that if I give you a gift, you give me something in return?"

"Well," Bowie said slowly, "I'm not sure. It's a force of habit. I've never been very comfortable accepting gifts without giving something in return."

"Would you promise me something?"

"What?" Bowie asked, and flipped over so she was staring at Jareth.

"The next time I give you a gift, I don't want anything in return." She opened her mouth to protest. "I know you have a habit. I wish to break it. You give more than you can."

She said nothing for a few seconds, just looking at him curiously. Then she smiled softly.

"Alright."


	27. Chapter 27

Sunlight streamed into the courtyard in the early morning, and a beam hit Bowie straight in the face. She peeled open her eyes to see that the snow was still heavy on the ground, the fire extinguished by the melted snow that had fallen when they fell asleep. She was warmer than she had been, her back against something soft.

Bowie furrowed her brows, then looked down to see one of Jareth's arms over her waist. She was pulled tightly to his chest, his chin resting on top of her head. A deep red blush came over her cheeks and cautiously, she began to pull away. He groaned in protest, latching on tighter. Bowie sighed, then moved quickly until she was out of his arms.

As she stood, Bowie noticed Hoggle was awake and had begun breakfast. She walked over and sat next to him, watching as he attempted to start a fire.

"Morning," she said softly, "Would you like some help?"

"That'd be nice, yeah." He handed her a small piece of flint he had been using, as well as a rock. "Start the fire, will ya?"

She leaned forward towards the ashes, and arranged the sticks that hadn't been burned yet.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked as she began to grind the two minerals together. "Or as well as you could, considering the circumstances?"

"Slept fine, I's did," Hoggle replied. "You's certainly looked cozy."

Another flush came over her face, and she muttered that she must've been cold sometime throughout the night. Hoggle let out an unbelieving scoff.

"Sure, Victoria. I's can see you like him. Why, I has no clue," he said, shaking his head. "What is it that you's see in him?"

"I don't know, actually. I'm just . . . well . . . I just . . ."

"Drawn to him." Hoggle looked up from his task, raising an eyebrow.

". . . Yeah, drawn to him. It's weird, isn't it?"

"No. Do you's love him?" Bowie froze, watching as sparks lit the branches on fire. Hoggle quickly placed a small fruit on a twig over the fire as she watched curiously. "Well?"

She shook her head, not as a response but as a way to snap herself out of thinking. She wasn't sure how she felt towards him - she wasn't sure if she was in love, or if it was just pure infatuation.

"I don't know."

"I's think you's do. I sees the way you's look at him."

"Well, I-" She stopped when she heard Ludo wake up from his slumber loudly, awakening everyone else in the camp in the process. Hoggle removed the strange fruit from the fire, let it cool for a few short seconds, then handed it to Bowie. "Thank you."

She was hesitant to take a bite, but once she did she was glad - it was a fruit she had never tasted, almost a mix of warm apple sauce and mango. Hoggle continued to make breakfast and Bowie continued to eat quietly next to him, wondering about his question.

They left an hour later, extinguishing the fire and heading further into the labyrinth on their second day. They travelled for two hours, arguing over which turns to take and avoiding icy patches that they would trip on otherwise. When they came across a wall unlike the others, with two frozen doors, they had all stopped to examine them.

"The dark forest," Jareth said, answering the unsaid question. "There's no other route to the castle that's faster."

"But it's dangerous, is it not?" Sir Didymus said, looking at Jareth as if he was insane. "Who knows what lies behind the door!"

"Fierys," Hoggle mumbled under his breath, and Bowie thought back to Sarah's shaky reaction to the memory of them.

"Do you propose you have a better idea?" Jareth snapped, turning around.

"Maybe the forest is frozen, too. So the - fierys, right? - yeah, those . . . maybe they won't be alive when we go in there." They were all quiet until Jareth put his weight against the door, making it crack open. Looking inside, everything was quiet and frozen, as if it had been for hundreds of years.

"After you," Jareth said, looking down at Hoggle. Hoggle's eyes went wide.

"What? Why's me?" he shrieked, stomping a foot. "Why, you no good-"

Bowie rolled her eyes, pushed past the two, and stepped into the forest. She waited in silence, held her breath, and waited for the worst. Nothing happened.

"Let's go," she said, turning to walk a few more steps in. "It's eerily quiet, though. I don't know if I trust this place."

"Wise words," Hoggle mumbled. "Damn Fierys. Rip your head off, they will."

"Oh, fun," Ashley said, crossing her arms. "I guess I'll feel like Anne-shit!"

They all turned around to see Ashley sprawled on the ground, groaning with her eyes shut tight. Bowie snorted out a laugh.

"God damnit," Ashley muttered, "I hate this place. Bowie, we can't be friends after this."

Bowie laughed at the words, turning back to walk deeper into the forest. Everything was icy and frozen in time - she was reminded of the worst storm she had ever witnessed in Chicago. It was a day when her father had been home, and the snow had locked them inside their home. They spent that day making hot chocolate and reading books.

"Victoria?" She hadn't even realized she veered off the path until she felt a gentle hand on her arm. She turned to look at Jareth. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She rejoined the group but walked slower this time. That is, until she noticed a fast motion from the corner of her eye. She turned to look around, but saw nothing immediately. It wasn't until she really focused that she caught a smiling animal looking right at her. It had wild hair, a long beak, and abnormally large eyes that matched those of Sarah's stuffed animal.

"I think we have company," Bowie said, never removing her eyes from the group. Hoggle turned around with furrowed eyebrows, and they immediately dissipated as soon as he saw the creature. Then he ran, leaving behind the group. "Hoggle! Come back!"

"He'll be fine, m'lady. He does this all the time!" Sir Didymus said. "He has the right idea, however!"

"Run!" Bowie didn't have to be told twice - she took off in a sprint, unknowingly taking Ashley's hand in the process of running to bring her along. Jareth ran closely behind them and a few meters off, the fiery. Its laughing sent more goosebumps down Bowie's arms and made her run faster.

They ran for a quarter mile before Bowie ran into Ludo, making them all fall down in the process. The fiery got closer and closer, and it was then that Ludo howled into the open air. Several rocks came from out of the trees, rolling towards the creature, and eventually knocked it down. Ashley looked with unbelieving eyes.

"Why didn't you do that in the first place?" she said, out of breath. She laid her head back on the ground. "Before we go on . . . let me catch my breath."

"Dead end?" Bowie asked, standing up on shaky legs. She looked around and sure enough, there was a wall of ice surrounding them. "I feel like he did this."

"Of course he did. He's an asshole." A blanket of snow fell onto Ashley's face, but she didn't move. "I stand by my opinion."

Bowie rolled her eyes, then felt the wall of ice. It was unbearably cold.

"How do we get through? And where did Sir Didymus go?" Bowie asked, looking at the group and noticing they were short one fox and one dog. "Did they get lost?"

"No. The Glacies got them," Hoggle said, a nervous look in his eyes. "Must've taken them to the castle."

"The . . . Glacies?"

"Soldiers of Mordecai," Jareth said, sighing as he examined the patterns in the ice. "Nasty little things. Best to avoid them."

Bowie nodded, then said, "I'll keep that in mind. Ludo, can you summon the rocks again? Maybe it can shatter the ice?"

She pet Ludo behind the ears, and his foot began to thump. She laughed at the reaction and thought of her childhood dog. When she had finished, Ludo howled again, summoning one of the rocks that had crushed the fiery. Everyone jumped out of the way as it came flying to the ice wall, shattering it enough to send ice flying in all directions. When it had subsided, there was a tunnel with light at the end of it. Bowie smiled at Ludo, then scratched him behind the ears again.  
"Good boy."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Seven

They'd been walking for what felt like hours and Bowie was slowing down from exhaustion. She lingered towards the back of the group with tired eyes and a flat expression. As much as she wished to be home in the comfort of warm blankets, she knew that was still a long ways away. When they began to pass through more of the forest with frozen peaches, Bowie began to wonder about Sarah.

She wondered if Sarah noticed she was gone, or it any time had passed since her disappearance. She wondered if Sarah would be frowning on her for going on such an adventure. She then laughed to herself, knowing that Sarah would've _loved_ the fact she was living an adventure.

"I wouldn't advise walking any further." Bowie hadn't even realized the group had stopped and she continued until Jareth had placed an arm in front of her. She looked at him, confused, and then looked ahead of them to see what stopped them.

There was a clearing a few feet ahead of them - a perfect place to stop for the day, seeing as the sun was starting to set - but that wasn't what had them gazing ahead.

Bowie, at first, thought they were ice sculptures of goblins. Then, one of them moved with an icy spear and launched it at a nearby plant. The plant shattered into tiny pieces and the ice goblin laughed at its accomplishment.

"Glacies, I'm guessing?" Ashley asked, and there wasn't a response. They all seemed to know the answer. "Well, it looks like we're screwed."

"What do we do?" Hoggle asked. "There's six of 'em."

"Let's just go around," Bowie suggested. "We still need to find some food. Ashley, I know you've got to be-"

She stopped when she turned to look at her friend. Where she had stood just seconds prior was empty space, and Bowie looked around.

"Where'd she go?" she asked, and the others looked around.

"Must've hypnotized the young lady. I's heard that they does that," Hoggle said, pointing a finger at Bowie. "Hard telling where she's gone!"

"I'll follow her footsteps," Bowie said, then looked to the ground at the markings. She began to follow them around the clearing and within a few feet, she spotted her friend preparing to climb a wall.

"Ashley!" Bowie said, walking forward and grabbing her friend by the foot. "Get down from there!"

Ashley said nothing and continued to climb. She only stopped when two large, fuzzy hands grabbed her that she stopped and stared at Bowie.

Her eyes looked like they held ice within, and they were completely frozen over. Bowie gasped and took a step back, breathing heavy as she looked at her friend.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked in a panicked tone. She felt a hand on her shoulder, jumped, and looked up at Jareth. He didn't look surprised.

"One moment." He conjured a crystal ball, looked at it for a second, and blew it towards Ashley as if it was a bubble. It landed on the tip of her nose and disappeared within the blink of an eye.

The ice in Ashley's eyes melted and she blinked, revealing the natural color within.

"Did I pass out?" she asked casually, snuggling into Ludo. "Not that I mind. I was getting tired, anyways."

"You were under Mordecai's command. I reckon he was trying to get you away from us," Jareth said, then pinched the bridge of his nose. Bowie looked up at the wall, then to the group.

"Do you think-"

"Look there! Intruders!" The group turned as the six Glacies from before pointed sharp spears at them. Bowie was surprised when she felt one hit her thigh and break skin.

"Oh, great. Attack of the abominable gremlins," Ashley said with a groan. "Someone just go get a damn match and melt those things."

"Do you have one handy?" Bowie asked, glaring back at her friend. The glacies moved in closer and as they did, Bowie moved back until she was flat against Jareth. "I'll take that as a no."

"Nope. None."

"Well, I'm not going down without a fight. Ashley, where's your backpack?"

"Silence, prisoners!" One yelled, and Bowie went quiet before she felt a nudge on her shoulder.

"Okay, if this doesn't work, everyone scatter. If it does, kill them," Bowie said quietly under her breath.

"What are you planning?" Jareth asked back in her ear. She didn't respond and instead, took the backpack in her hand. As soon as she had a firm grip, she whipped it forward towards the spears of the glacies.

Just as she hoped, the force was enough to splinter them and they began to swing them. Jareth had to duck to move them, and Bowie swung the backpack again to destroy the weapons for good. When they were mere ice rods, the glacies looked at each other in confusion.

"They're pretty stupid, don't you think?" Ashley said, watching as Bowie landed another blow on one of the glacies. "You having a bad day, Bowie Babe?"

"A little help would be nice!" Bowie responded as she watched one of the six break into chunks of ice. She heard Ludo's scream and watched as rocks began to roll towards them. The glacies screamed and ran in the other direction, deep into the forest as the rocks chased them. Bowie smiled in success and handed the backpack to Ashley. She noticed the group looking at her strangely.

"What is it?"

"You were going to town with that backpack, is all. It's like that time when we went shopping and that guy tried to steal your purse. Remember? You beat the shit out of him with your umbrella." Bowie rolled her eyes and led the way to the clearing. She was happy when the group followed.

"He deserved it," she said softly, and sat down. Hoggle immediately went to work making a fire as Ludo sat down. Ashley scratched behind his ears.

"That was a wise decision you made. Brave, slightly dangerous, but you saved the group." Bowie looked over as Jareth sat next to her. She smiled softly and watched as Hoggle attempted to start a fire.

"I didn't feel like my journey was over yet," Bowie said simply. "It seemed like something Sarah would do."

At the mention of the name, the group went completely silent and didn't speak a word. Hoggle looked at Ludo with a sad gaze. Bowie sighed, then stood up.

"I'll go find firewood. Jareth, care to join?" The goblin king stood and followed her a few meters away from the group on the edge of the forest. She looked over a few leaves on a badly damaged tree, then sighed.

"Every time I talk about her, everyone goes quiet," Bowie said, and Jareth stiffened. "I know what happened. I know you loved her."

Ice seemed to form between them, and Bowie was surprised it wasn't literal.

"Do you still?" Jareth's eyes snapped back into reality and he looked down at her.

"No." She nodded in response, then went back to looking at the tree.

"It happened so long ago. I know that she isn't mad about it anymore. Still a little annoyed, but that's just Sarah. I know she misses Hoggle and Ludo more than anything," Bowie said, looking back at them. "She'd miss you, too, if things were different."

"How do you mean?" Jareth asked, glaring down at her. Bowie shrugged her shoulders as she picked up sticks from the ground.

"If you showed her you weren't a bad guy, because I don't think you are. You haven't really changed, but you've learned to be a nicer person." He raised an eyebrow at her and she stood level with him. They met eyes and locked them for a few seconds.

"I have, have I?" She nodded, and he looked at her for a few more seconds. "Victoria, I want to give you something, but you have to close your eyes."

"What?"

"Just do it." She looked hesitant, and she closed her eyes. As soon as she did, he placed his hands over her eyes and conjured two crystal balls. He willed them to do as he wished and watched as they disappeared into thin air. He smiled in success, then removed his hands.

"Open your eyes, Victoria." Her bright blue eyes slowly fluttered open, and a loud gasp escaped her lips.

All around her was the very thing she had always wanted to see - color. The shades were so much more beautiful than she ever thought, much more vivid than her imagination could ever dream.

For a moment, she couldn't believe what she was seeing - bright ice dulling vibrant colors from trees and flowers, a vibrant sunset she couldn't remember ever seeing before.

Suddenly tears sprang to her eyes and she held a hand to her mouth, flicking her eyes between the sunset and Jareth's blond hair. When she began to sob, Jareth placed an arm around her shoulder to pull her close.

"Why do you cry?" he asked softly, and she held her face in her hands as she leaned against him.

"Because . . ." She removed her hands from her face to look up at him. Her skin was red from the tears. "No one's ever given me something so meaningful. Something I . . . I can't even describe."

"Then I am happy to be the first," Jareth said, a little too proudly. She looked up at him with a soft smile, examining the color in his eyes.

"They're so much more beautiful with color," she said, then blushed when she realized what she said. "Your eyes are just . . . unique. And . . . what's the color?"

"Blue."

"Blue . . . That's what blue looks like." She smiled softly and wiped the frozen tears from her cheeks. "Thank you so much. It means the world to me."


End file.
